Just An Ordinary Day
by Keigo-sama
Summary: Sugar highs, puppies and lovers' tiffs... It's just another ordinary day for Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto. A series of drabbles on their relationship with each other and the people around them. [sasunaru]
1. Coffee

**Disclaimer: I do not Own Naruto. Sasuke does, though...**

**Warning: My first Naruto fic...**

**Drabble #1: Coffee  
Sadistic friends and eighteen-year-olds on sugar highs**

Sasuke didn't like coffee. He had been left insomniac after his brother had eliminated his whole clan, but he usually could still manage to get an hour or two's sleep before dawn. He did not need coffee to make that worse, _thankyouverymuch._

Another reason why Sasuke disliked the dark, rich, sweet smelling drink was due to his hyperactive lover. Naruto was bouncy and bubbly enough as it was, but whenever the small blond boy managed to get his hands on some coffee, chaos ensued. Sasuke suspected it had something to do with the amount of sugar the boy dumped into his coffee.

The sole survivor of the Uchiha Clan Massacre also suspected that the blonde's friends encouraged, even _helped_ Naruto get his supply of coffee.

Sasuke had made it a point to throw away every single coffee product in Naruto's possession when they had moved in together. He had also threatened that anyone who gave Naruto coffee would be walking funny for the rest of his or her life.

Now _most_ of the residents in Konoha feared the Uchiha heir, and they absolutely worshipped the ground he walked on, so the probability of someone defying his direct orders was not really that high. Unfortunately for Sasuke, though, Naruto had many friends, and none of them were really afraid of him, seeing that they had all grown up together. They also harbored a deep resentment towards Sasuke for almost killing Naruto, who was the baby of their group, when they had been twelve.

Sasuke was not too keen on facing them in battle. Among those friends, at least two of them were certified geniuses. They were certainly _not_ afraid of Sasuke. Sasuke knew that he'd have a hard time if they ever decided to fight him, even with his matured sharingan.

That, and Naruto would make him sleep on the couch for _a year_ if he ever maimed any of their friends.

Sasuke silently reminded himself of that fact over and over again in his head as he struggled to maintain his usual icy composure.

"We didn't give him the coffee, Uchiha. We sold it to him," Shikamaru smiled, leaning back lazily into his couch. "No rules about not _selling_ him coffee, right?" God, he loved watching the stuck up Uchiha suffer.

Sasuke's left eye twitched. Behind Shikamaru, Neji watched the unfolding drama with mild interest, a tiny smile on his lips. Kiba was howling with laughter. Chouji called out encouragements while munching on a bag of potato chips.

And in the middle of Shikamaru's living room, surrounded by empty cups of instant coffee, Naruto was professing his undying love to a bowl of steaming Ichiraku ramen.

Sasuke's eye twitched even more violently.

The dark haired boy stalked over to his lover, looming menacingly over the smaller boy. Naruto blinked up at him adorably, and his whiskered face split into an enormous, giddy, coffee induced grin.

"Suke-kun!" Naruto glomped the taller Sasuke and nuzzled his neck. "More coffee. More coffee. More coffee!"

"As much as you want at home, Naruto. Come on, we're leaving this nuthouse."

Sasuke shot a brilliant glare at their friends over the tuft of blonde hair. All he got in return were satisfied grins and smug snickers. He grabbed Naruto's hand and dragged his out the door.

- - -

"Ne, Sasuke, you love me, right?" Naruto slurred.

Sasuke placed the as-good-as-drunk blonde on their bed and raised an eyebrow. "Hn." He tucked the covers up to the blonde's chin.

"You'd do anything for me, right?" The words were still slurred, but he sounded serious. Or as serious as an eighteen-year-old blonde who was on a sugar high could be…

"Hn." Sasuke answered, waiting for Naruto to continue.

"You'd even die for me, right?"

"Dobe, just what are you getting at?"

"If I wanted something, you wouldn't stop at anything to get it for me, right?"

"Naruto, what do you want, exactly?"

They stared at each other for a long moment, and then Naruto grinned again.

"MORE COFFEE!"

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes: That was fun! XD Thank you for reading!**


	2. Sin

**Disclamer: I do not own Naruto. Sasuke does, though...**

**Drabble #2: Sin  
****Midnight ponderings.**

He watches his lover sleep late at night. The moonlight streams into the room, illuminating the boy's face and making him look even more like an angel with the halo of pale light in his golden hair. His fingers trace the whisker marks on the sleeping boy's cheeks and he bends his dark head to press a gentle kiss on the blonde's forehead.

He wonders, not for the first time, how someone as pure can really love him. Naruto is made of laughter and sunshine, everything that is bright and innocent. Someone he does not deserve. He looks down at his hands. There is blood on them, and he will never be able to wash it off, no matter how long and hard he scrubs.

He'll never forgive himself for the sins he has committed. But Naruto has. Naruto believes in him. The thought that he was telling a lie when he told Naruto that he was sorry for all he had done had probably never even crossed the blonde's mind.

That is how his lover is - he forgives and forgets with such child-like ease that it makes him feel even guiltier than he already is.

He smiles slightly when the blonde fidgets in his sleep.

_Would it be a sin if I stay with you? After all the things I've done?_

Naruto snuggles closer to him, sighing in contentment.

_Do I deserve to be as happy as you make me feel?_

Naruto's arms wrap around him, face buried against the crook of his neck.

"Love you…" the blonde mumbles. "Don't leave…don't leave me…I don't want to be alone anymore…"

He closes his eyes. Maybe someone like him is not worthy of Naruto's love, but he will never let Naruto go as long as the blonde still needs him. He will not let Naruto down, not like he has done so many times in the past. He owes Naruto this much.

Because to leave Naruto would be the most unforgivable sin he could commit now.

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:To all of you who reviewed the last chapter, thank you!**


	3. Rain

**Standard disclaimers apply.**

**Drabble #3: Rain  
****Drowned foxes and geniuses who contradict themselves.**

It was raining cats and dogs out there.

Naruto dashed into the shade of the Uchiha estate and shook out his umbrella, muttering curses under his breath all the while. Even the umbrella had not been able to stop him from being drenched, and now his favorite pair of T-shirt and jeans was clinging to his slender body uncomfortably.

He kicked off his sandals outside the house. One side bounced off the porch, making squelching noises, and landed in a puddle of muddy water. Naruto decided that it wasn't worth the trouble to go back out into the rain to get it, so it was left lying forlornly in the steady downpour.

"Tadaima," the blonde called out distractedly, trying not to drip all over the floor and failing miserably. He slid the door shut, shutting out the sharp wind. "Damn that old hag for calling that stupid meeting in the middle of a rain storm…it wasn't like I needed to be there anyway…" he muttered.

"Look what I found…a drowned fox."

It was then that Naruto realized that his lover was leaning against the wall of the hallway. Sasuke was still dressed in his Anbu uniform, having only just returned from Anbu duty a while ago, smirking at him teasingly. His dark eyes drank in the sight of his Naruto hungrily. In a stunning display of maturity, Naruto stuck out his tongue at the Uchiha.

"What did you do, dobe? Fall into a river?" Sasuke's dark eyes were dancing with laughter.

"You bastard! Stop bothering me! I'm wet, I'm cold, and I'm tired!" Naruto pouted and wrinkled his nose. The Uchiha watched him for a long moment, a strange look on his face.

Suddenly, Sasuke filled Naruto's vision. The blonde was shoved none too gently against the door behind him. Sasuke's warm breath tickled his lips as the taller of the two wound his arms around Naruto's small body.

"Then you should go take a warm bath," Sasuke whispered, moving to nip Naruto's ear with his teeth and making Naruto moan. "You're shivering, koi."

"I know. And I will. Once you let go of me, that is."

Sasuke seemed to ponder for a second. Then a smirk graced his aristocratically handsome features. "No." The arms around Naruto tightened possessively.

"No what?" Naruto asked, confused.

"No. I'm not going to let you go, Naruto."

"_Right_. And they call you a genius. You tell me to take a bath, but you won't let me go. Or do all geniuses contradict themselves like this?" Naruto rolled his eyes as Sasuke began to kiss his neck.

"You know how Shikamaru is going out with Ino but is always complaining about how troublesome she is? Or how Neji kissed Hinata after he announcing that he hated her yesterday?"

"Heh, I guess that explains it."

They stayed in each other's arms for a long time, neither wanting to be the one to pull back first. Sasuke rubbed his cheek against Naruto's soft, wet, spikey blond hair, murmuring incoherent words of affection to his lover. Naruto felt himself growing drowsy, lulled by the soft patter of raindrops just outside the door and the steady thudding of Sasuke's heart.

Sasuke felt Naruto's body relaxing completely into his. He pulled back slightly, only _slightly_, and peered at his lover's face.

"Naruto? You haven't fallen asleep, have you?"

"Hmm…"

Sasuke laughed softly at the half-asleep boy. He gathered the blonde into his arms gently and carried him to their bedroom.

Outside, the rain continued to fall.

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
This is my favourite drabble so far :) Hope you'll liked it and thanks for reading!**


	4. Medicine

**Standard disclaimers apply.**

**Drabble #4: Medicine**  
**Sick foxes and excuses to stay in bed with your lover.**

"Be a good boy and take your medicine, dobe."

Naruto glared at his lover weakly. Sasuke was sitting on the edge of their bed, a tall glass of water in one hand and assorted pills in the other.

"But it's _bitter_! This is all your fault, you bastard," he croaked, eyeing the medicine in distaste. He sneezed. Once. Twice. And then coughed violently.

Sasuke smirked slightly. He should have known that Naruto would hate taking his medicine. Naruto was really still such a little boy. To tell the truth, Sasuke did feel a little guilty for refusing to let Naruto take the warm bath he had needed yesterday, or to dry himself off, at least. But there was nothing he could do about it now.

It also gave the Uchiha the perfect excuse to fuss over his blonde lover.

"I hate you," Naruto groaned, although not with much conviction. Grudgingly, he took the water and the colorful pills. Sasuke's hand moved to brush Naruto's long bangs out of his blue eyes. The dark haired boy frowned. Naruto was still flushed, and a touch of his forehead told him that the blonde was still running a fever.

Sasuke was too worried about his lover's high temperature to notice that Naruto had popped every single pill into his mouth. Once was enough, the blonde had decided, he wasn't going through this torture eight times. Naruto threw his head back and attempted to swallow his medicine with a huge gulp of water.

And naturally ended up choking.

Sasuke snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Naruto's strangled gurgle. "Naruto!"

The taller boy thumped the blonde's back, looking at his lover with a mixture of bemusement, exasperation and affection. Naruto, with much difficulty and streaming eyes, managed to swallow his medicine five minutes later.

"It's all your fault," Naruto rasped, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "If you hadn't – mmphgg!"

Sasuke's fingers caressed the baby-fine hairs at the nape of Naruto's neck, his other hand slammed against the headboard as his mouth worked against Naruto's pliant one.

When he pulled away finally, Naruto looked dazed.

"The fastest way to shut you up," Sasuke murmured smugly. He bent his head to resume the kiss.

"We shouldn't…you'll catch a cold too…" Naruto protested. Sasuke watched in fascination as a pink tongue darted out to lick equally pink lips.

Sasuke pressed their foreheads together, one cool, and the other warm. "I don't care," the Uchiha said carelessly, grinning uncharacteristically. "Besides, if I _do _get sick, I'll be able to spend the whole day in bed with you."

That said, he kissed Naruto again.

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
_Eyes-of-Truth, Carrot, chibi sasuke, Pookey, sweet G??? and Sleepy Mangos_...thanks for all your wonderful reviews. This chapter is dedicated to you!**


	5. Father

**Drabble #5: Father**  
**When your hero turns out to be the father you never knew.**

"The Yondaime was your father."

Naruto stared at Tsunade and Jiraiya blankly.

""The Yondaime was my father…" he repeated slowly. "Right." A crooked, disbelieving grin curved his mouth. "And who was my mother? The Tooth Fairy?"

The two Sannins looked at each other and sighed.

"We're not joking, brat. Arashi was your dad. He was an orphan, just like you. He never knew his family name. It was his fondest wish to find out which clan he belonged to, other than becoming the Hokage, but he died before he could see that wish come true." Jiraiya told him.

"But- but- I have a family name! He can't be my dad!" Naruto sputtered, his blue eyes darting about in something akin to panic when he saw that they were indeed serious.

Jiraiya shook his head and explained further. "Uzumaki is only the name the Sandaime chose for you because it resembled the Kyuubi's seal on your stomach,"

"Your mother…she died during childbirth," Tsunade offered quietly.

"Why are you telling this to me now!" Naruto's voice was high-pitched and almost hysterical.

"We just thought it was time you knew, Naruto. They loved you very much, you know…even before you were born. All they could talk about was you," Jiraiya smiled slightly at the memory. "Naruto if the baby turned out to be a boy, Naruko if it was a girl."

Naruto stood up abruptly, his face ashen. He looked like someone had punched him in the gut.

"I need to think about this…" And he left without another word.

- - -

"Naruto's missing. He should have been home hours ago," Sasuke glared at the Godaime. He did not care that she was the most powerful ninja in the whole goddamn village; if she had hurt Naruto in any way, there would be hell to pay.

"What the fuck did you say to him?"

Tsunade sighed. "We told him that his father was the Yondaime."

The was a few moments of silence, then Sasuke said incredulously, "He didn't know? He must have known! They look so alike it's almost impossible _not_ to know!"

"Naruto's never been the most observant of people…" Tsunade sighed again. She covered her chocolate eyes with her hand. "Go find him, Uchiha. He's probably at the Yondaime's Shrine. Or on top of the Hokage Mountain."

Sasuke didn't need to be told twice.

"And Sasuke?" He turned. "Tell him I'm sorry. He wasn't ready to hear this."

- - -

Tsunade was right. He found Naruto standing in front of the Yondaime's Shrine, just staring at the picture of his father.

"I've always wanted to be like him." Naruto said without turning.

Sasuke hugged Naruto from behind. Naruto smiled sadly and closed his eyes. "I should be happy, shouldn't I?"

"But you aren't?" Sasuke asked, burying his face in the soft golden locks.

"I'm just so confused right now. It's almost unreal, Sasuke. I have a dad, and he's actually the _Yondaime_!"

"But it _is_ real. And it won't change a thing. You'll still be you. Why worry about it?"

Naruto turned in his arms, blue eyes stormy with emotion. "It's just that…all my life, I've been alone. And then suddenly, so many good things are happening to me. I have great friends, I've got people who care about me, my dad's the Yondaime, and I have _you. _I'm so afraid I'll wake up and find that it was all just a wonderful dream."

Sasuke rolled his eyes and whacked the back of his lover's head. "Dobe, stop being silly. Have you ever thought that you have all those things because you _deserve_ them?"

Naruto looked at him for a long moment, a wide range of emotions flitting across his expressive face. Sasuke was relieved when it finally settled into the smile he loved so much. Naruto grinned and punched his arm lightly.

"Don't call me a dobe, you bastard."

Sasuke planted a chaste kiss on the Yondaime's son's lips. "Come on, we should go."

Naruto laughed and took Sasuke's proffered hand as they headed for home.

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
Those who agree that Yondie is Naruto's dad, raise their hands please!**

**_Eyes-of-Truth, Azamiko, KUPstar, black vapor, Chez, spyro, hotohori's empress, Lady Samurai,_ _Aiya-Chan,_ thanks for the reviews! I'm glad you liked it!**

**_Aiya-Chan:  
_ I don't mean to offend you or any other NaruSasu fans out there, but I can only see Naruto as a cute, cuddlylittle kitten of a boy. I really cannot imagine him as the seme...not only in a relationship with Sasuke, but with anyone else too! And (in my mind) Sasuke would never let his shorter, cuter, more childish Naru-chan be the dominant one in their relationship. I mean, he's an Uchiha, and I think all Uchihas are quite proud, if not arrogant, no? But that's just what I think, and I'm not saying that I HATE NaruSasu. It's just that I can't write it. So if you really want to see Seme!Naruto, I advice you to look elsewhere...**


	6. The Beginning

**Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to me. Right...**

**The Beginning**  
**How it all started.**

Chuunin missions sucked.

Of course, nothing could be worse than the crap they made struggling genins do, but chuunin missions were mind-numbingly boring.

Uchiha Sasuke tugged at his chuunin vest absently, trying to preserve some body heat as he and his mission partner trudged through the dense forest that would bring them and the precious scrolls they were carrying to the Hidden Sand Village. The sun was setting, and the temperature in the misty forest was already dropping rapidly. Sasuke grinned sardonically. At least the job of keeping himself warm would occupy his time.

A flash of yellow distracted him from his musings and he glanced up. Naruto's hair was reflecting the rays of the dying sun, and Sasuke found himself staring at the glinting color.

It was beautiful. Like fine spun gold.

The dark haired, taller ninja sighed inaudibly. The moron had barely spoken to him throughout the entire mission - since yesterday morning. But the was not surprising, seeing that Naruto had been studiously avoiding him since he had brought Sasuke home from Orochimaru three months ago.

Sasuke would sometimes find the blonde in the training grounds, or at the Ichiraku, laughing with his friends, but the laughter always ended in awkward silence whenever the blonde noticed Sasuke watching him. Besides, Team Seven had been disbanded after the both of them had been elevated to chuunin status. Sasuke could not even use the excuse that they were teammates to talk to his former friend.

This was the first time they had been paired up on a mission since then.

Three years ago, Sasuke would have welcomed the lack of interaction with the smaller boy. He had thought of Naruto as a nuisance then. But during his time away from Konoha in the Hidden Sound Village, Sasuke had found himself missing the loud, exuberant voice, those blue blue eyes, the head of gleaming golden spikes…

He had missed Naruto.

Not that he could say the same for Naruto, though. The smaller boy made it painfully clear that he didn't want to be Sasuke's friend anymore, that he had brought Sasuke back to Konoha because of the old promise he had made to Sakura.

Although he knew he didn't have the right to be, Sasuke felt hurt. And it was also unfortunate that Sasuke, to his own dismay, found himself falling for his childhood rival.

Ahead of him, Sasuke saw Naruto trip over a protruding tree root and stumble. In a flash, Sasuke was there to steady his ex-teammate by wrapping his arms around the smaller boy's waist.

"Be careful, dobe," he murmured into Naruto's ear. Naruto smelled so nice, and he felt so tiny compared to Sasuke's taller frame, almost like a child. Sasuke closed his eyes and savored the rare moments when he could be so near to his Naruto.

Naruto turned his head, startled, and quickly extracted himself from Sasuke's arms, muttering unintelligible apologies under his breath. Sasuke smirked when he caught a light blush staining Naruto's whiskered cheeks and was about to tease the blonde about it when a sudden movement to his left made him start.

Unconsciously, he clutched the scrolls he was carrying tighter.

"Someone's there," he whispered to Naruto. The blonde nodded and narrowed his blue eyes.

They appeared suddenly out of the thickening mist. Three shinobi from the Hidden Cloud. Sasuke fell into a defensive stance and scowled at them. He could feel Naruto moving closer to him as their enemies surrounded them.

"Hand over the scrolls, brats," one of them, a man with an ugly scar running down his cheek said.

"You seriously think we'd do that, Scar-Face?" Naruto snorted. He launched a shower of shuriken at the Cloud nin, but the man managed to avoid it at the last moment.

The game a chase began.

Meanwhile, the other two had taken Sasuke on and was probably regretting it when Sasuke used a Katon on them. It grilled one of them badly. The other escaped with a few singed hairs.

Naruto finished off Scar-Face easily enough and left him unconscious on the ground, a few shuriken stuck to his back. Naruto frowned. It was almost too easy…something was off. But he wasn't going to complain if they thought they could beat the ninja of the Leaf with this kind of skills. If they underestimated him, it made his job easier.

His blue eyes sought his mission partner and found Sasuke standing a few feet away, standing over two bodies and wiping the blood off his kunai calmly, as if this was only a practice spar. Naruto heaved a sigh of relief.

But that relief was short lived. Naruto's eyes widened when a large fumma shuriken suddenly whizzed through the air with deadly accuracy, aiming at the unsuspecting Uchiha's heart.

'_Shit! We were too careless!'_

Naruto knew that even if he yelled out a warning, Sasuke would not be able to react in time. There wasn't any room for hesitation. Naruto did the one thing he could think of: he lunged forward, straight into a startled Sasuke's arms, and felt an intense pain when the shuriken dug deep into his back a moment later. The last thought that flashed through his mind before he passed out was _'Please let Sasuke be okay…'_

Sasuke let out a strangled cry as they both crashed onto the ground. Naruto's eyelashes fluttered down over his unfocussed blue eyes as he slipped into unconciousness. Blood was everywhere.

"_Naruto_!"

Sasuke carefully plucked the shuriken out of Naruto's back and tried to staunch the bleeding with his bare hands frantically, but Naruto was slowly slipping away. The blonde's breathing was getting shallower, his pulse weakening.

'_Oh God no! Not like the time with Itachi! Not like the time with my clan!'_

A fourth Cloud nin, obviously better skilled than the three defeated ones – a high ranking one, stepped out from behind a tree and watched Sasuke and Naruto with a sneer on his face.

"Just hand over the scrolls, and I'll let the both of you live," he said, strutting up to the two leaf shinobi.

Sasuke ignored him, still struggling to keep his Naruto alive.

The Cloud nin made an impatient noise at the back of his throat. He raised his katana, ready to strike, when Sasuke lay Naruto onto the ground and stood slowly. The Uchiha lifted his face, revealing his menacing blood-red sharingan, making the Cloud nin take an involuntary step back in shock.

"You hurt him. You hurt Naruto," Sasuke said in an almost numb tone before his face twisted into one of unchecked rage. Pure chakra appeared on the palm of the chuunin's hand and the sound of a thousand birds screeching filled the air.

The Cloud nin was dead before he even knew what had hit him.

- - -

Naruto opened his eyes and winced when the bright sunlight invaded his eyes. There was the sound of footsteps, and then he heard the curtains being pulled shut.

"That better?" someone asked.

Naruto squinted up at the familiar voice and his eyes widened. "Kankurou!"

The Kazekage's older brother grinned at him and sat back down on the stool placed beside the bed he was lying on.

"You really are one reckless guy, you know that? Throwing yourself in front of a fumma shuriken is not good for your health, Uzumaki," the Sand puppeteer teased.

Naruto bolted up at the mention of the shuriken. "How's Sasuke? Is he okay? What happened?"

Kankurou laughed at the blonde's expression. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. He's fine! He's the one who carried you here. Looked as if he'd murder the medical staff if they didn't treat you right away…"

His voice was purely joking, but he didn't tell Naruto how Sasuke had, in fact, really looked homicidal when he had appeared at the Sand's hospital three days ago, what with the blood splattered all over him, and the seemingly lifeless blonde clutched tightly to his chest. The Uchiha had been at Naruto's side night and day until only a few minutes ago.When Kankurou and Temari had gone to the spot in the forest the Uchiha had directed them to, all they found were four dead bodies, mutilated beyond recognition.

Naruto sank back onto the bed and was confused when he didn't feel any pain. "It doesn't hurt. My back doesn't hurt."

"Are you complaining?" Kankurou laughed. "Actually, that's thanks to your Hokage-sama. Uchiha didn't trust the Sand's medical nins, but you were in a critical condition - too critical to be moved, so he sent a message to her to come. She got here yesterday."

"The old hag is here?" Naruto asked, perking up at the mention of the woman he looked up to as an older sister. "Where is she then?"

"She's just outside. Uchiha is giving her a full report on your mission. Which reminds me, I have to go tell them your awake. Uchiha is going to kill me when he finds out that I didn't the moment you were." Kankurou grimaced and left the room.

Naruto closed his eyes and sighed. His mind was still a little fuzzy from just waking up and the loss of blood. The door swung open again and the sound of high heels tapped into the room.

"Brat!"

Naruto opened his eyes and grinned at the voluptuous, blonde Godaime. "Hello, Tsunade-babachan. How nice of you to drop by."

The blonde woman shook her head and bent to kiss his forehead. "Don't ever scare me like that again, you hear me? I almost got a heart attack when I got Uchiha's message!"

Naruto laughed. "Only old people get heart attacks, you old hag."

Tsunade let that pass with no more than a tick on her forehead. "You seem okay…" she patted his cheek fondly. "I looked in on you only a few minutes ago and you've healed completely. But I'll come back later to give you a more thorough check-up. In the meantime, get some rest, okay?"

Naruto nodded and watched her leave. The door closed behind her and everything was quiet, but Naruto could feel that he was being watched. It was then that he realized there was another person in the room, hiding in the shadows.

_Sasuke_…He had been so silent Naruto had not even noticed that he was there before.

The dark haired boy detached himself from the shadowed wall and moved to the side of Naruto's bed. For a long time, they stared at each other, neither knowing what to say.

"Why did you?" Sasuke broke the silence. "You hate me. Why did you save my life?"

Naruto blinked up at him. "I don't hate you. And consider this a payback for the time _you_ saved me from Haku."

Sasuke sat down at the edge of the bed. "I think you repaid me when you brought me home from Sound."

Naruto gave a weak grin and shook his head. "Nah, that wasn't Uchiha Sasuke. Just some deranged guy impersonating you."

Sasuke gave a snort, and the both of them fell into silence again.

"I'm sorry, and…thank you," Sasuke whispered at last.

Naruto's head shot up, his eyes widening. He never thought he's live to see the day Uchiha Sasuke would lower himself to say those words. Sasuke brushed his fingers against Naruto's arm.

"I'm sorry for the things I've done, most of all, trying to kill you. You said before that I was your first friend…your _best_ friend. Can you forgive me, Naruto?"

"Don't be an idiot," Naruto smiled half-heartedly. "If I hadn't already forgiven you, I would have left you to rot with Orochimaru, wouldn't I?"

Sasuke sighed impatiently. "You've been avoiding me since I came back to Konoha. What am I supposed to think? Have you really forgiven me, or are you just saying this to spare my feelings? Tell me the truth, Naruto!"

Naruto bit his lip and looked away. "I have forgiven you, _really_! It's just something else, okay? I need some time to adjust to those feelings…" The last part of the sentence was said more to himself than to the boy by his side, but Sasuke heard them anyway.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "What feelings?"

Naruto looked pained. "It's just something stupid, okay? Don't worry, I'll be fine soon. I'll be kicking your ass in training soon enough!"

Sasuke looked at him for a long moment, his sharp black eyes probing (Naruto was uncomfortably reminded of Neji. Did the Uchiha bloodline allow Sasuke to read minds too?), and then the dark haired boy let out a small laugh.

"You _like_ me, don't you, Naruto?"

Naruto jumped at the words. He turned a pretty shade of pink almost immediately. "What are you…you arrogant bastard! I do not…it's not like that…it's –" he sputtered helplessly.

"God," Sasuke rolled his eyes as he looked at Naruto amusedly, "I can't believe I fell in love with a dobe like you."

Naruto looked up again, this time in shock. "You…what?"

Sasuke faltered for a second. He didn't want to lose Naruto as a friend if he had been wrong about Naruto's feelings for him, but then he saw the hesitant longing in the blonde's blue eyes and let a triumphant smirk curve his lips.

"I love you, Naruto. Got a problem with that?"

He didn't give Naruto a chance to answer. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to the blonde's, feeling the smaller boy stiffen under the caress, then relax gradually.

"Sasuke…" Naruto sighed when they finally parted for breath. "You're not toying with me, are you?"

"No, I'm not. I really _do_ love you." Sasuke asked, gathering Naruto's smaller hands in his and staring intently into the blue eyes. "Can you say you feel the same way?"

Naruto nodded embarrassedly and gave small smile. "I…guess…"

"Good," Sasuke said and kissed him again. A few minutes could have passed, or a few days, before an amused voice cut through their haze of bliss.

"When I told you to get some rest, Naruto, I meant to sleep, not make out with Sasuke on the hospital bed."

Sasuke and Naruto both turned to see a gleeful Tsunade and an unreadable looking Gaara watching them. Sasuke glared at being interrupted. Naruto flushed in embarrassment.

"I would ask you how you are, Uzumaki Naruto, but I can see for myself that you're fine," the green eyed Kazekage said in his usual monotone. He turned to Tsunade. "Come, Hokage-sama, I have some sake in my office. Let us give them some privacy."

Tsunade chuckled all the way out and Gaara carefully used his sand to lock the door from the inside before the two leaders of the hidden villages left.

Sasuke gave the innocent door one more glare before turning back to the still madly blushing Naruto.

"Now…" Sasuke's lips stretched into a slow, predatory smile. "Where were we?"

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
This one is a request from _Trek_ who wanted to know how the boys got together.**

**I'm really not happy with it. I've redone it at least four times (hence the late update), but I still don't like it, especially the fighting scene...I can't write fighting scenes...**

**Nevertheless, I've done my best.**

**By the way, thank you, _Eyes-of-Truth _(I love long reviews, and I'm happy we have so much in common!),_ Lady Samurai_ (Not everyone. Some of my friends still do not believe that Yondie is Naruto's dad...the fools...)_, Karma Strike,Trek (I hope this is up to your expectations!)_and _Back of Beyond, _for reading the last chapter and reviewing!**


	7. Wintry Summer

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Drabble #6: Wintry Summer  
For all the warmth he feels, it might as well be winter.**

He curls up into the chair by the window and stares out at the red blotch just appearing in the east of the still dusky sky.

What is Sasuke doing now, he wonders. Thinking of him? Missing him? Or is he too caught up in his mission to even spare a thought for him?

He glances at their bed. It bears no traces of having been slept in. He never can seem to fall asleep if Sasuke isn't there with him. The bed becomes too big. Too lonely. Too _cold_.

Even in the summer.

He turns back to the window. Outside, Konoha is slowly waking up. Genin are meeting up with fellow Genin and Jounin instructors. Chuunin are leaving for training. Medical nin are hurrying to the Konoha Hospital.

The sickly rays of the rising sun are reaching out to him. He shudders. Funny how everything turns cold without Sasuke. Even fire, he suspects, would feel like ice without Sasuke.

He really should be going. The old hag wants him in her office by eight. A glance at the clock tells him it's already seven fifteen. The old hag will kill him if he's late again.

Somehow, he can't bring himself to care.

The birds are singing outside. The children are laughing. It's a beautiful summer's day for the rest of Konoha. Not for him. Sasuke isn't here. Sasuke isn't with him. Sasuke has taken away the summer, leaving him with winter.

He sighs and gets up to dress. No point sitting there all day. The cool air in the large bedroom makes him shiver.

'_It's supposed to be summer_,' he frowns, '_It's supposed to be warm!'_

The door opens quietly and he finds himself enveloped in a familiar pair of arms.

Summer has returned to him.

"Tadaima," it whispers. "I've missed you so much."

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
I hope you understood what I was trying to say...(nervous laugh)**

**As usual, thank you _Eyes-of-Truth, Cyndi1, Back of Beyond, Ly Mizukage, Gonrie_ and _Lady Addiction_ for reading and reviewing! **


	8. First Kill

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Never have, never will...**

**Drabble #7: First Kill**  
**The first time is always the hardest.**

"_Mama! Mama! Don't leave me! Don't go!"_

_Naruto stares blankly at the small child who is shaking the corpse's shoulders from behind his Anbu mask. The dark red substance slides down and drops from his katana. It wets the ground in a series of black dots._

"_Don't leave me! I'll be a good boy! Don't go!"_

_Naruto turns. The mission has been completed. It was just a mission. Just a mission._

"_Mama!"_

_Naruto closes his eyes tightly, willing the image of the headless body away. He pretends not to hear the wailing child. He does not want to hear him. A stone whizzes past his left ear. Another connects with his temple, leaving a shallow gnash._

_He could have avoided it easily. But he doesn't._

"_You killed my Mama! You killed her!"_

_He doesn't slow his pace. Doesn't stop walking. Doesn't turn._

_Just keeps walking._

_The wailing continues. Naruto's knuckles are white._

_Just keeps walking._

_Just keeps walking until he can no longer hear the child._

_- - -_

"Naruto? You okay?"

He lifts his face from his knees and blinks his dry, dull blue eyes. Sasuke is kneeling in front of him, looking worried.

"Was it like this for you too?"

He still reeks of blood. He can't seem to wash the scent off him, no matter how many times he bathes.

"What are you talking about, dobe?" Sasuke chooses not to understand the whispered words. His dark eyes are tender and gentle as he touches the wound on Naruto's temple gingerly. His other hand rubs the blonde's back soothingly.

"Your first assassination. Did you feel as guilty? As dirty?" Naruto asks quietly, his small body curled into a miserable ball on the floor.

Sasuke grimaces at his lover's broken voice and pulls him into a tight embrace. Somehow, the comforting feel of his lover's body makes Naruto's heart ache so badly.

"Stop blaming yourself, koi. It was a mission. You did what you had to do."

"I took the life of a child's mother..."

Naruto finally breaks down and starts to cry. Sasuke rocks him back and forth gently, like a parent does a hurt child.

Neither one of them will be getting any sleep tonight.

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
Angsty one, this... I've always thought Naruto wouldn't take his first kill very well. He's too naive and innocent. Sasuke, on the other hand, was probably numb by the time he killed his first person. Anyway...review! XD**

**_Eyes-of-Truth, Azamiko, Back of Beyond, dyingstar-elipsis, Trek, _thanks for reading and reviewing! **


	9. Quarrel

**Disclaimer: You know I don't own Naruto, right?**

**Drabble #8: Quarrel  
Every perfect couple needs a good fight… **

"You've quarreled with Naruto?"

Sasuke glared up at his former teammate. Sakura stood before him, hands on hips, staring at him sternly.

"That is none of-"

"- my business, I know." Sakura cut in impatiently. "However, it becomes my business when Naruto bangs down my door in the middle of the night and begs me to take him in and then shuts himself up in my apartment guestroom the whole day long. He hasn't eaten in _days_!"

A worried look entered the Uchiha's eyes, darkening them further. He frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.

"He won't tell me what the matter is. In fact, he's hardly spoken two words since he came to me." Sakura tugged at her pink hair in frustration. Naruto was like an annoying little brother to her. She hated seeing him so depressed.

"That idiot…" Sasuke muttered. He uncrossed his arms and shoved his hands into his pants pockets.

"Was it really that serious?" Sakura asked quietly.

Sasuke laughed mirthlessly. "No, not really. We were only arguing about the Kyuubi."

"What about it?" Sakura prodded tentatively when Sasuke fell silent. The Kyuubi had always been a sensitive subject among them. It was almost a taboo.

Sasuke looked up, his eyes almost as flat as his voice. "He wanted me to kill him if he ever lost control of the fox demon."

"Oh." Was all Sakura could think of to say.

Sasuke ran his fingers through his dark hair and Sakura saw the shadowy smudges under his eyes. He looked as though he hadn't been sleeping in _weeks_. "We said…a lot of hurtful things during the fight."

"Why am I not surprised?" Sakura asked dryly. But then again, after six years as the two boys' teammate, she had seen the worst of their fights. She reached over to pat the taller boy's hand soothingly. "It'll be alright, Sasuke-kun. Go talk to him and straighten things out. You know Naruto can never stay angry at you for long."

"He doesn't want to talk to me. Why do you think he left?" Sasuke glowered at the grown up version of the twelve-year-old girl who had been infatuated with him once upon a time. Once upon a time, she would have cowered under the glare.

Once upon a time. Not today.

Sakura shook her head in exasperation. "Naruto is just a stubborn little boy." The both of them smiled at that. "He'll talk to you. See if he doesn't. Now all you've got to do is to go find him."

Sasuke looked at his friend enquiringly when she handed him a brass key. Her green eyes sparkled with faint mischief. "I'll be going out with Lee-kun later this evening. You'll have the apartment to yourselves. Try not to break anything, hmm?"

Sasuke smiled his first smile in days as he accepted the key.

* * *

**Tsuzuku...**

**Author's Notes:  
Yup! Lovers' tiff and a mature, helpful Sakura. I really disliked Sakura when I first read the manga. She was so annoying and back-boneless then! She's much better now, and I must say that she's starting to grow on me. Hopefully Hinata-chan will turn out as well as she did!**

**The next drabble will be a continuation of this one, but, unfortunately, I don't think I'll be able to post it for a while. My trials are coming up, and my parents are really annoyed that I've been spending so much time at the computer instead of studying...**

**_Pookey, dyingstar-elipsis, RuByMoOn17, Trek, Azamiko, Fractured Dreams, himeyume, _thank you for your comments! They really made my day! **


	10. Making Up

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Drabble #9: Making up  
**...**so that they will come out of it stronger than before.**

Naruto stared up at the ceiling as he lay on Sakura's bed in her guestroom. He watched, rather fascinated, at the electric fan above spinning slowly...slowly...slowly...

Just outside the bedroom door, he could hear Sakura moving about with more noise than a ninja usually made. But then again, he reflected, she wasn't on a mission. Stealth wasn't needed right now. She was at home.

_Home._

Naruto swallowed the lump that rose to his throat painfully. His blue eyes watered. He flung an arm over them and felt the wetness slip down his cheeks.

"Fuck," he whispered into the silence of the room.

There was a knock on the bedroom door. "Naruto?"

Naruto scrubbed the tears away hastily and sat up just when Sakura opened the door. He attempted a grin, but it came out more like a grimace. Sakura walked over to him, looking very attractive in her pale green silk dress. Her skirts rustled as he sat down next to him on the bed and patted his now dry cheek.

"I'm going out with Lee-kun, okay? You'll be alright?" She asked, green eyes slightly worried.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," he answered softly. He glanced at her dress and smiled. "You look good, Sakura-chan. Lee-Fuzzy-Eyebrows is a lucky guy."

Sakura returned the smile fondly. "No, I'm the lucky girl. Well then, I'd better be going. Can't keep him waiting for too long…he might get fed up and leave."

"Nah, he wouldn't do that to you."

"I know," Sakura giggled and gave Naruto a hug. "Take care."

The door closed. Naruto flopped back onto the bed and resumed staring at the fan spinning slowly...slowly...slowly...

- - -

He must have fallen asleep, because when he next opened his eyes, darkness greeted him. Before he could gather his sleep-befuddled senses, something brushed against his cheek, almost making him shriek in surprise. He bolted up in bed and pressed himself against the headboard.

"You're skittish tonight, Naruto," a well-known baritone said softly in the dark. Naruto couldn't see him - he didn't have the advanced bloodline ability of the sharingan, which allowed night vision, unlike the other occupant in the room; but he didn't need to. Every one of his remaining senses screamed at him: _Sasuke! It's Sasuke!_

"What are _you_ doing here? You're breaking and entering. It's a crime, in case you didn't know," Naruto edged his voice to cover up how affected he was by Sasuke's sudden appearance.

"Don't be silly." He could almost see the Uchiha smirking. "Sakura gave me the spare key to the front door."

Naruto scowled. "Judas," he muttered, then glared in the general direction of Sasuke's voice. "Well? What do you want?"

He found his wrist encircled by cool, unrelenting fingers.

"You," the voice whispered.

Naruto felt himself being dragged into the familiar arms of his lover. He struggled like a baby fox caught in a hunter's trap, but Sasuke refused to loosen his vice-like grip.

"Stop acting like an idiot, dobe. You _know_ how much I love you. This quarrel is pointless. I'm sorry about the things I said when we fought, but not about refusing to kill you." Sasuke's voice was harsh with emotion - a rarity. "I _will not_ kill you."

Naruto continued to struggle. To his utter horror, he started to sob. All the empty days and endless nights away from Sasuke…they had been hell.

He wanted Sasuke. He _needed_ Sasuke.

"I will not kill you, Naruto," Sasuke repeated. He attacked Naruto's lips almost desperately. "I won't need to, because I won't let you lose control in the first place. Do you understand, Naruto?"

Naruto was crying too hard to answer. He returned Sasuke's kisses with the same ferocity, tasting his own salty tears, and knowing that _that_ was answer enough to his lover's question.

- - -

Sakura opened the door to her apartment tentatively later that night. She poked her pink head around it and called out, "Naruto? You there?"

Silence.

The medical nin smiled to herself as Inner Sakura laughed at her genius. So far so good. She entered her home, switched on the light in the living room and shut the door. Dumping her shopping bags onto the couch, she headed towards the guestroom.

"Naruto?" She knocked on the door. No answer. The smile turned into a grin. Inner Sakura gave her High-Fives. She pushed the door open and switched on the light.

It was empty.

Inner Sakura did cartwheels with joy.

There was a small piece of paper on the bed, though. A note. Sakura picked it up and scanned the elegant handwriting. Sasuke's handwriting.

_"Thank you," _it said. _"The dobe asks you over to dinner tomorrow."_

Sakura laughed. "Those _morons_!"

She switched the light off and left the room, still chucking to herself.

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
Yay! My exams are over...now all I have to look forward to are my results. _Joy_.**

**I know that the Sharingan does not give Sasuke night vision, but for the sake of the fic and my sanity, let's pretend. Okay? By the way, can anyone spot where the lemon is supposed to be? Yes, I planned to write a lemon originally, but it was so hard I gave up after the first two paragraphs... I cannot write smut to save my life...**

**I hope this drabble was worth the wait. I'm kinda fond of it myself, although, somewhere in the middle, it reminded me of the cheap paperback romance novels my Mom used to read. (LOL)**

**For the people who reviewed the last time and to those who wished me luck for my trials: _Fractured Dreams, cheerful-pinkstar, joanne, Trek, Azamiko _and _Back of Beyond, _THANK YOU!**


	11. Stray

**Disclaimer: Naruto mine is not.******

**Drabble #10: Stray  
****Naruto picks up a stray.**

Sasuke slid the front door of his ancestral home open and entered the house silently out of habit. The Uchiha estate had been so devoid of life for years that it felt almost wrong just to disturb the quiet. Even Naruto turned down his volume when he was in the house, and _that_ was saying something.

He took off his sandals and placed them neatly on the shoe rack at the side of the hallway. Naruto's were strewn haphazardly on the floor. Sasuke shook his head; he had long ago given up on tidying up after his messy lover.

He turned when he heard a slight noise, just in time to see something golden hurtling towards him. It knocked into him, and their combined momentum made him stagger backward. He caught it reflexively, making sure it didn't fall.

For one moment, Sasuke's disorientated mind thought that he was holding Naruto. The boy did, after all, have golden hair. Then he saw the tail wagging madly in the air.

A puppy. A golden furred puppy. He released his hold on the dog in shock and it tumbled to the wooden floor with a thump, yelping in reproach.

Sasuke stared at it. It stared back.

"Sasuke!"

Sasuke looked up to see another golden blur hurtle into his arms for the second time in as many minutes. Naruto smiled up at him, head thrown back, his sparkling blue eyes begging for a kiss.

Sasuke complied readily and would have forgotten that there was a third party watching if the puppy had not bumped its nose into Sasuke's foot.

"Naruto…" he frowned, pulling away from the kiss. "What is that dog doing in the house?"

Naruto looked down at the yipping puppy and smiled timidly. "He's a stray I found wandering around the old playground. He looked hungry, so I brought him home to feed him… Can we keep him, Sasuke?"

Sasuke looked at his lover's hopeful face and felt the beginnings of a migraine. He cupped one side of Naruto's whiskered cheek and sighed.

"Dobe, who's going to take care of it when we're both away on missions?"

"I'm sure our friends will help look after him…please?"

Naruto's eyes were large and swimming with uncertainty. Sasuke closed his own eyes and sighed again. He was about to tell Naruto 'no' when Naruto whispered, "He reminded me of myself as a kid. Nobody wanted me. I had no one to care for me…"

Sasuke's eyes snapped open at that and his arms tightened around Naruto's shoulders. He pressed his forehead against Naruto's gently.

"If you really want to keep it…"

Naruto's smile was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
Sasu-kun had better hope Naru-chan doesn't make a habit out of picking up every stray in sight home. Heh. Not that the Uchiha Estate isn't large enough for all of them, but Sasuke would probably go crazy with all the animals running about. LOL. Can you imagine this:**

**Sasuke: Where did we keep the lube? (panting)**

**Naruto: In the bathroom cabinet... (moaning)**

**Sasuke: I don't see - NARUTO! WHY IS THERE A CAT PLAYING WITH OUR LUBE IN THE BATHROOM?**

**Naruto: Oops...I was wondering where she had gone to...**

**(Author is cackling with insane laughter and promptly dies of lack of oxygen)**

**_Fractured Dreams, dyingstar-elipsis, Pookey, Azamiko, Trek, cheerful-pinkstar, Die Kikyo Die_, thanks so much for the reviews! They made my day!**


	12. Happiness

**Disclaimer:**** Not mine.****  
**

**Drabble #11: Happiness**  
**Everyone deserves it.**

They lay in bed, sweaty and panting and sated. Naruto's head rested on Sasuke's chest, and the thin sheets barely covered their cooling bodies.

"We really should be going, or we'll be late for the wedding," Sasuke murmured, running his fingers through his lover's damp strands of golden hair.

"Hmm…" Naruto answered drowsily, heavy eyelids drooping over hazy blue eyes. He snuggled closer to his lover. "Shikamaru won't mind…"

"Unfortunately," Sasuke smiled and planted a kiss on the top of Naruto's head. "Ino will. Come one now, be a good boy and get into the shower."

- - -

"Sasuke-kun! Naruto! You're here!" Sakura squealed at them in greeting, looking ecstatic even though it wasn't her wedding. She gave both her former teammates a hug.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto laughed when she almost strangled him in her enthusiasm. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't the bridesmaid be with the bride?"

Sakura rolled her green eyes. "Ino was being a pig as usual. She was going on and on about how she beat the rest of us girls to be the first to get hitched, blah blah blah… I just _had_ to get away!"

Sasuke's lips twitched. "It's her wedding day, Sakura. You should at least be nice to her for once."

Sakura gave him a mock glare. "If I wasn't being _nice_ to her, I'd have shoved her wedding cake down her throat the moment she started yakking."

Naruto gave a snort of laughter. It always amused him to see Ino and Sakura bicker the way he and Sasuke used to.

"Well, make yourselves comfortable. The ceremony should be starting in a sec." Sakura waved and hurried back to her best friend.

Ino's home was already packed with their friends. Almost everyone they knew was present to witness the happy occasion. Neji and Hinata (Hinata had an engagement ring on her finger. Naruto would later tease Neji about it), Kiba and Shino, Kurenai-sensei and Asuma-sensei, Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei, Tsunade and Jiraiya, Lee and Gai-sensei (both were crying their eyes out happily), Shizune, Tenten and even Tonton.

Shikamaru actually looked excited (Naruto's mind boggled at the fact). Ino looked radiant in her mother's wedding kimono. Chouji, the best man, looked as happy for her teammates as Sakura did for her best friend.

"They look good together," Naruto murmured, leaning back against Sasuke. "Ino makes a lovely bride."

Sasuke's arm snaked around the blonde's waist. "I think _you_'d make a beautiful bride," he whispered into Naruto's ear.

The ceremony was interrupted momentarily when Naruto yelled, "WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN! ARE YOU IMPLYING THAT I LOOK LIKE A GIRL!"

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
I wrote this when I was feeling really good about life, but don't expect all my drabbles to be as fluffy as this... The life of a shinobi is too unpredictable to give them a 'happily ever after'.**

**To those who reviewed the last chapter : _dyingstar-elipsis, Azamiko, RuByMoOn17, Trek, cheerful-pinkstar, Pookey, Die Kikyo Die, SitDog-Boy, _Thank you! Hope you liked this chapter too!  
**


	13. Serious

**Disclaimer: Not mine...****  
**

**Drabble #12: Serious**  
**Mpreg…!**

_Naruto thinks that his lover takes everything in life too seriously. And while it's one of the things he loves about Sasuke, it can get a little annoying when Sasuke can't take a joke._

- - -

Naruto came home from his monthly seal-check-up with Tsunade looking rather strange. As expected, Sasuke was worried about his lover.

"What's happened? You look funny," the Uchiha heir commented, concern glinting in his dark eyes.

"Nothing," Naruto answered succinctly and turned his back to his lover childishly.

"Naruto…" Sasuke's tone promised punishment if Naruto insisted on being stubborn.

Naruto whipped around, tears in his eyes and his lower lip trembling. "Don't be angry, Sasuke. Promise me you won't be angry."

Sasuke raised his eyebrows in surprise and gave his word.

"I'm pregnant," was the next thing that came out of Naruto's mouth.

There was a moment of silence, then, "WHAT!"

"Don't be angry, Sasuke. You promised!"

"I – but – you – we - " Sasuke looked so flustered that Naruto burst out laughing.

"This is not a laughing matter!" Sasuke snapped. His temples were beginning to throb again, something that happened a lot when he was around his lover.

"Y-yes it is! Y-you should have s-seen the l-look on your f-face…" Naruto gasped, still laughing uncontrollably. "Happy April's fools day, bastard!"

_Thud!_

"Um…Sasuke?" Naruto stopped laughing and rolled his eyes at the limp figure of his lover on the floor. "Jeez, I'm a guy, remember? How in the world did you think I could get pregnant?"

* * *

**Owari. **

**Author's Notes:**

**What can I say? I enjoyed making Sasuke faint. Hehe. I'm an evil evil girl...**

**I've just finished watching the first season of Bleach, and man is it _weird _to hear Sasuke's voice coming out of another person's mouth. I'm just too attached to the fact that Sugiyama Noriaki's voice belongs to Sasuke, which is funny, cos I don't have this problem with other seiyuus...**

**_LoveMeNot, SitDog-Boy, cheerful-pinkstar, dyingstar-elipsis, Azamiko, diamondprincess2006, Selphie1234, Trek, Die Kikyou Die, Pookey_, thanks for the reviews!  
**


	14. Unlucky

**Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.****  
**

**Drabble #13: Unlucky**  
**People say that Naruto is unlucky.**

"They consider you unlucky, you know."

Naruto looked up from the scroll he was studying to find Sasuke leaning against the door of the Uchiha estate's study, watching him.

"Unlucky?" Naruto repeated, looking bewildered. "As in the number thirteen, walking under ladders and black cats?"

"No," Sasuke shook his head. "As in life hasn't been good to you…"

"Huh?" Naruto raised his eyebrows in surprise, as if he had never thought about it that way before.

"They say that you don't have a family, no one to take care of you, no one to love you…"

Naruto let out a snort.

"What a load of bullshit!" the blonde laughed. "What about all the friends I have? And Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei and the old hag and the pervert sennin? What do they mean, no one cares about me?"

He got up from his seat and crossed the room to Sasuke, flinging his arms around the taller boy's neck.

"And I've got _you_ to love me, haven't I?"

Sasuke smiled.

"That's what I told them." And kissed him.

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
This one started out with my sister saying that "13 is an unlucky number" when I told her that I had done 13 drabbles so far.  
**

**_cheerful-pinkstar, dyingstar-elipsis, Selphie1234, Machi, Azamiko, Aki no Yume1, Cyndi1, Ly, Emman, FullMetalChibi, SitDog-Boy, SilverCrystal9, _OMG! I love all of you and your wonderful reviews!  
**


	15. Dawn

**Disclaimer: Not mine, okay?****  
**

**Drabble #14: Dawn**  
**He always leaves at the first signs of morning.**

Itachi watches silently from his usual place on the branch of a particularly large tree in the Uchiha grounds, hidden partially by the thick foliage.

The sky is still dark, the stars are still out, but he can see that his brother is already wide-awake. Sasuke is reading a book on the living room couch, pushing his reading glasses up his nose when it slips once in a while. His dark eyes are narrowed in concentration, scanning the pages methodically, precisely, and quickly.

The wind picks up gradually outside, rustling the leaves and ruffling Itachi's hair. He shakes the long strands out of his blood red eyes.

Sasuke looks up from his book suddenly, apparently distracted by some noise. Itachi can see the door of the bedroom open, and Naruto runs out into the living room.

The blond Kyuubi holder goes straight to Sasuke and burrows himself in Sasuke's arms. Even the distance between them and Itachi cannot hide the fact that Naruto is shaking violently.

"_Nightmare_?" Itachi can see Sasuke ask as he strokes Naruto's golden hair softly, his book lying forgotten at the other end of the couch.

Naruto nods jerkily but does not say anything. The three boys do not move from their respective spots for a long time - Sasuke on the couch, Naruto in his lap, and Itachi on the tree.

Itachi can see that Naruto is falling asleep again. His initially terrified expression relaxes into a more peaceful one as his breathing evens out. Sasuke continues to hold him even after he realizes that his lover is slumbering once again.

The dawn is approaching. Itachi can see the darkness fading into the rising sun. He knows he must not linger for long now.

He turns to go, but casts one last look over his shoulder at the two boys. He is glad for them. Glad they have each other.

One is Itachi's precious only brother, the other is the person he harbors an unrequited love for. He knows he cannot make either of them happy, so he will settle for the next best thing…

He hopes they will find the contentment that he craves, but has eluded him…together.

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
I've always liked Itachi. He can be a wonderful brother when he puts his mind to it. How I wish I had a brother like him...sigh... By the way, to those who don't know this: Dawn is the direct translation of Akatsuki, the organization Itachi works for. That's why I chose the title. :smile:  
**

**Anyway, I hope you like this one!**

**_MangaMamma, dyingstar-elipsis, SilverCrystal9, SitDog-Boy, Selphie1234, Pookey, Azamiko, Die Kikyo Die, RuByMoOn17, cheerful-pinkstar, Rubber Ducker, Aki no Yume1,_ Thank you all for the lovely reviews!  
**


	16. Mine

**Disclaimer: Sadly, Naruto does not belong to me.  
**

**Drabble #15: Mine  
Sasuke is being possessive.**

Sasuke had never really had trouble with the people in Konoha when it came to Naruto. Nobody who knew the Uchiha heir would be foolish enough to touch what was his. Not when said Uchiha had a powerful bloodline limit, the sharingan, and had mastered one of the most destructive jutsus in shinobi history at the tender age of twelve.

The shinobi from other hidden villages, however, were not as well informed.

Sasuke felt the vein on his forehead pop violently as he watched the Jounin from the Hidden Grass Village flirt shamelessly with his Naruto, who was sitting beside Tsunade as the potential Rokudaime. Naruto looked adorably confused as he dutifully answered every pointless question the Grass Jounin asked ("Which one of my students do you think will make it to Chuunin level this time?" "Uh…I don't even know who your students are." "The Kazekage looks like a block of ice, doesn't he? Does he even have friends?" "…I'm friends with Gaara.")

Sasuke's temper rose steadily by the moment, a lethal aura gathering around him like a dark storm cloud. Everyone inched away from the furious Uchiha, carefully leaving a five-meter radius around him empty in case he started using the Fire jutsus his (now deceased) clan was famous for. Only his blond lover and the Grass Jounin were unaware of the gradual drop of temperature inside the stadium where the Chuunin exams were currently held.

The last straw came when the Grass Jounin tipped Naruto's chin and pressed a kiss on the startled blonde's lips.

Sasuke didn't care that there were a few hundred Chuunin exam candidates, their Jounin instructors, a whole team of Anbus, and both the Hokage and the Kazekage watching.

He rammed a fully powered chidori into the wall next to the Grass nin's head.

Vaguely, he heard Kiba snicker and Neji sigh behind their Anbu masks. The other Leaf shinobi looked terrified at the prospect of having to deal with a jealous, not to mention, _furious_ Uchiha Sasuke. Tsunade had her face in her hands. Gaara looked as entertained as he could be. The rest present had their jaws on the floor.

"I'll be aiming for your head if you touch him again, understand?" Sasuke murmured in a frighteningly pleasant voice to the swirly-eyed Grass Jounin lying on the floor. "Naruto is _mine_. Remember that."

Then, he dragged a protesting Naruto home, Anbu duties and Chuunin exams be damned.

No one saw hair or hide of Uzumaki Naruto for the rest of the duration of the Chuunin exams. When Tsunade finally gathered enough courage to ask Sasuke about the blonde, he smirked and told her that Naruto was "_recuperating at home after last night_".

Tsunade decided she was better off not knowing the details.

By the time Sasuke deemed Naruto "fit" enough to leave the Uchiha grounds, the exams were almost over.

Naruto showed up at the closing ceremony, superly pissed off, hickeys adorning his slender neck,

a _very_ pronounced limp in his stride, and proceeded to beat the shit out of the same Grass Jounin who had been stupid enough to hit on him with Sasuke in sight. Did he have any idea what horrors Naruto had gone through for the past few weeks because of his idiocy?

Sasuke was possessive enough normally without being provoked.

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
This is inspired by _Maruneko's_ 'You Possessive Bastard!' on LJ's sasuxnaru community! Love that fic!**

**About the author's note for the last chapter: alot of you think that I'm crazy for wanting a psychopathic brother like Itachi, but I actually meant that I want him as he was _before _he killed his entire clan...I'm not a masochist, you know...**

**_Sleepy Mangos: _:wince: I deserve to be shot for making a spelling mistake like that. Thanks for informing me about it!**

**_Azamiko: _I'm not a pro in Japanese, but I think you mean Akai-Red , Tsuki-Moon. Akai tsuki-Red moon. Akatsuki is one word, and it means dawn...or am I mistaken? Anyone care to help me out with this?  
**

**_cheerful-pinkstar, dyingstar-elipsis, SilverCrystal9, Kit__, Emman, SitDog-Boy, Sleepy Mangos, Azamiko, kyria valkyrie, The Ersaj Chronicles, _thanks for reading!  
**


	17. Music

**Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.****  
**

**Drabble #16: Music  
****Beautiful sounds.**

**1.**  
In the mornings, when Sasuke tries to wake Naruto up, the blonde will only groan and bury himself deeper into the nest of blankets. More often than not, that groan is enough to make Sasuke forget that there is a meeting the both of them need to attend and slip back between the sheets to join his lover.

**2.**  
They argue whenever they shop for food together. Naruto insists that ramen and coffee are "staple foods". Sasuke declares him a "dobe" and is careful to subtly steer his lover away from the isles where those products are placed. Naruto is always too preoccupied with bickering with him to notice that they haven't passed those lanes anyway. Not that Sasuke dislikes Naruto's incessant chatter – it's amusing to watch him talk ninety miles per hour without stopping for a breath. It's always only when they've returned home that Naruto realizes that they've forgotten his ramen and coffee. _Again_.

**3.**  
Sasuke loves the way Naruto laughs. The smallest of things is all it takes to trigger an uncontrollable laughing fit in the blond boy. Sasuke will close his eyes, a small smile on his lips, and let the warm, rich sound wash over him in waves. It soothes him. It is like a balm to his numerous invisible wounds.

**4.**  
Sometimes, they manage to steal some time away to be together and talk during missions. Naruto is always quiet during those talks – calmer, brooding and contemplative. At those times, his usually cheerful voice drops into a soft, low murmur. These conversations are the more serious ones they have, and Sasuke is always fascinated by how a simple change in Naruto's voice can show him a side of Naruto other people rarely get to see.

**5.**  
When Naruto is making dinner, he sings softly under his breath as he waltzes around the kitchen. Sasuke is still amazed that Naruto knows how to make food other than his beloved ramen. Since Sasuke absolutely refuses to eat the cheap, unhealthy cup noodles every meal, Naruto has run to their girl friends and begged them to teach him how to cook. And the food he makes doesn't taste half bad too. But Naruto has always been a quick learner, and Sasuke loves the fact that Naruto learnt how to cook for him. Sasuke will stand in the doorway, listening to the voice he loves, his eyes following Naruto's every movement, and adore.

**6.**  
Naruto sighs when Sasuke kisses him. Not an impatient sigh. Not a sad sigh. It is one that is contented and happy. When Sasuke's lips move down to gently nip the spot where the neck meets the shoulder, Naruto will let out tiny gasps of pleasure that always fuels Sasuke's desire for his lover.

**7.**  
Naruto is very vocal in bed. He moans. He giggles. He mewls. He screams. He whimpers. He purrs. Sasuke loves every sound that passes through the smaller boy's luscious lips. They reassure him that Naruto is his, and that only _he_ has the power to coax those wonderful noises from the blonde's throat.

**8.**  
Before they go to bed, Naruto will always give Sasuke a gentle, chaste kiss on the lips and offer a soft "goodnight", although he knows that Sasuke is insomniac and doesn't fall asleep easily. Sasuke loves the way Naruto whispers the word in the darkness of their room. It makes him feel that tomorrow will be a better day, and that the world isn't as dark and bleak as he is used to thinking.

He loves the way Naruto's voice gives him Hope.

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
****I'm very happy with the way this turned out. At first it looked like it was going no where, but it started to take shape and now it's my favourite drabble!  
**

**_Fractured Dreams, cheerful-pinkstar, dyingstar-elipsis, The Ersaj Chronicles, Sleepy Mangos, Selphie1234, Azamiko, Mai-chan_, _kyria valkyrie, Trek, _I love you guys. Thanks for reading!**


	18. Mirror

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

**Drabble #17: Mirror  
****Reflections and shadows.**

The first thing Naruto noticed about Sasuke's house when they moved in together was that there were no mirrors. No matter where he looked, he couldn't find one single looking glass in the whole Uchiha estate.

And Naruto, being Naruto, reacted in the most dramatic manner only he could pull off.

"Sasuke, tell me the truth…you're really a vampire, aren't you?"

Sasuke, who had been drinking tea at the dining table, choked and sputtered.

"I knew it!" Naruto exclaimed, pointing at his lover with his finger. "You _are_ a vampire!"

Sasuke wiped the tea from his chin with his hand and gave the blonde a dirty look.

"Usuratonkachi, have Hyuuga and Nara given you coffee again? Because if they did, I'm going to kill them." he said flatly, "Or have you been listening to Ino and Sakura? Stupid, they only do it to tease you, you know."

"No! 'Cause you don't have any mirrors in the house!"

Sasuke blinked at Naruto.

"What?"

"You don't have any mirrors here," the blonde repeated. "Vampires don't have any reflections, do they? That's why you don't need mirrors!"

Sasuke blinked some more.

Naruto moved to snuggle in his lover's lap, looking up at him with large, shining blue eyes. "I won't tell anyone your secret, Sasuke," he whispered in conspiracy. "I think it's so cool! May I see your fangs - OW!"

Sasuke had whacked the back of Naruto's head.

"What was that for!" Naruto whined, rubbing the stinging spot. "I said I wouldn't tell!"

"You utter moron!" Sasuke laughed, half in exasperation and half in amusement. "I don't have mirrors in the house because I don't _want_ to see my reflection, which I _do_ have, thank you."

"You don't want to see your reflection because you don't have one!" Naruto said triumphantly, looking pleased that he had worked that out all by himself.

"No, dobe." Sasuke rolled his eyes. " I look too much like _him_."

"Him?" Naruto queried softly. "Itachi, you mean?"

Sasuke nodded, holding Naruto close to his chest. He stared straight ahead, lost in thought. "It's really funny… Before he killed my entire clan, I was so proud to look like him…and after that, I couldn't bear looking into the mirror and seeing _him, _his reflection staring out at me. I smashed every single mirror the night they let me out of the hospital." Sasuke looked sad for a second. "My parents never saw me when they looked at me either. I was only a shadow of their beloved firstborn…always a lesser son than he was."

Naruto shook his head, the movement shaking Sasuke out of his memories.

"I think you parents saw you as your brother's shadow because they could see that you had the potential to be as good as he was. It was their way of telling you how much they loved you…that they saw how well you would turn out to be."

Sasuke had to smile at Naruto's optimistic view of life.

"I hope so…" the Uchiha heir murmured into the soft blond hair.

"Hey, I just thought of something!" Naruto perked up, grinning. "No wonder you have that perpetual bed head! How long has it been since you really looked into a mirror?"

Naruto's laughter was interrupted by another "OW!" following the whack on his head.

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
****Erm...happy halloween? lol**

**Anyway, something I forgot to mention in the last update: To those of you who would like to read 'You Possessive Bastard', you can find it in Adultfanfiction _dot _net under the pen name_ Neko-nin._**

**_dyingsatr-elipsis, Fractured Dreams, kyria valkyrie, cheerful-pinkstar, The Ersaj Chronicles, SilverCrystal9, Trek, Azamiko, Selphie1234, Sleepy Mangos, Arret, SitDog-Boy, Kakkarot Lover, Gingitsune, Mai-chan, Telluli, Pookey, Yaoi fiend, _once again, thank you for all those wonderful reviews!****  
**


	19. Fire

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Drabble #18: Fire  
****What the Uchiha clan is proud of.**

"Sasuke, what does this mean?"

Sasuke looked up from the book he was reading to see Naruto holding one of his shirts with the Uchiha clan symbol at the back. The blonde squinted at it. "I've always thought it looked like a fan."

"It is," Sasuke told him.

"Why a fan?" Naruto asked, still scrutinizing the symbol.

"Because we pride…prided ourselves in our fire jutsus. The Uchiha fan represents our ability to control fire," Sasuke explained.

Naruto nodded, putting the shirt back into the wardrobe. He crossed the room and fell face first onto the bed next to Sasuke.

"That's cool," he said, voice muffled by the mattress.

Sasuke smirked, placing his book on the bedside table. "I bet when my ancestors decided to use that symbol, they didn't realize how right it would be."

"Huh?" Naruto blinked, twisting his head to face Sasuke.

Sasuke's smirk widened.

"You have the Kyuubi inside you, right?"

"Right," Naruto answered confusedly.

"The Kyuubi is a fire fox, right?"

"Right. But what does that have to do – " And then his lover's meaning hit him. He frowned. "You _so_ do not control me."

"Don't I, now?" the Uchiha murmured.

Naruto's glare would have quailed a lesser man.

"And anyway," Naruto huffed, "The stupid fox and I are completely different entities. You can't claim to control me."

"Oh, but remember what Sakura said?" Sasuke asked silkily, a long fingered hand running through Naruto's hair, "That you were fire and I was ice? If I recall correctly, you agreed with her on that."

"I only agreed that you were a heartless bastard with ice water flowing through your veins instead of blood!" Naruto stuck his tongue out at the dark haired boy, who chuckled in return.

"Is that so? Well, how about we do a little experiment to see how much control I really have over you?" Sasuke's smirk and turned downright scary.

Naruto's eyes widened to comical proportions as Sasuke turned him to lie on his back and then proceeded to straddle his waist.

"Let me prove to you that you _are_ fire, Naruto."

Later, while Naruto was sleeping, completely exhausted, Sasuke would conclude triumphantly that his experiment was a huge success.

The Uchiha clan had and would always be the best in controlling fire.

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
A pathetic attempt to make things more...steamy, as requested by _yamitenshikagome_. So sorry to disappoint...As I've said before, I just cannot write smut. XP**

**My exams start on Friday, which means that I won't be able to update until _at least_ after the 22nd of November. (Which is quite a good thing, because I am experiencing severe writer's block. Heh.)**

**To those who reviewed: _cheerful-pinkstar, dyingstar-elipsis, julie, RuByMoOn17, yamitenshikagome, Pale Rider, Azamiko, KC Evans, Trek, Kohaku-Yuuga's-rembrance, LadyComplicated, kyria valkyrie, Fractured Dreams, Rubber Ducker, Notorious George Weasley, Sleepy Mangos, SilverCrystal9, lol, _I wouldn't have gotten so far without your support. Thank you and I love you all!**


	20. Perfect World

**Drabble #19: Perfect World**  
**Maybe.**

Naruto sometimes wonders what it would have been like in a perfect world.

Maybe the Kyuubi would never have existed, and his parents would still be alive. Maybe he'd have a mother to bake him delicious cookies and a father to grin and tell him that he was proud of him. Maybe he'd be the pampered prince of the village – the son of the Yondaime, instead of the demon they all thought him to be.

Maybe he'd be considered a genius, instead of a moron. Maybe he'd reach the rank of Jounin at fourteen, Anbu at sixteen, and Hokage at twenty-five. Maybe he'd be respected instead of being scorned and hated.

Maybe he'd be happy.

And what about Sasuke's perfect world?

Maybe Sasuke would not have had to live in his brother's shadow. Maybe Sasuke's father would have loved both his sons equally. Maybe Sasuke would not have had to fight for his father's approval every step he took, only to find him apathetic to everything he did. He was, after all, only the _spare_ to the Uchiha throne.

Maybe Itachi would never have gone psycho and killed their entire clan. Maybe Sasuke would not have had to swear vengeance on the brother he had once worshipped and looked up to. Maybe Sasuke would not have felt the need to betray Konoha and run to Orochimaru in an attempt to gain more power to defeat Itachi.

Maybe Sasuke would be happy.

But then again, Naruto realizes, if they hadn't gone through what they had gone through, maybe they would never have become as close as they are now. Maybe they'd only be polite strangers. Maybe they would not have fallen in love.

And even if they _had_ fallen in love with each other, maybe their families would not have approved of their relationship. The Uchihas were a proud, arrogant clan, and Naruto seriously doubted that they would have looked kindly upon the fact that one of their heirs was in love with another boy. Naruto's own position as the Hokage's son would also have made things difficult for them. People did, after all, have expectations from you when you were important, like finding some nice girl and marrying her and producing heirs.

When Naruto comes to this part of his musings, he'll usually thanking God for all he has right now.

Maybe the perfect world isn't _that_ perfect after all. The life he and Sasuke are living now might not be a bed of roses, but at least they aren't completely miserable either. Maybe they should be happy for what they have.

Maybe the world is already perfect enough now that they have found each other.

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
I don't like this. It was written a long, long time ago, and since I can't seem to produce a decent drabble right now, I thought I might as well post it...**

**Don't you just HATE writer's block?**


	21. Letters

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything, okay?**

**Warning: Insaneness.**

**Drabble #20: Letters**  
**Sasuke writes.  
**

18th December.

Dear Usuratonkachi,

How are you? I hope you are well and that you haven't done anything stupid like destroying my house or burning it to the ground trying to learn my clan's fire jutsus.

My mission here in Kirigakure has been rather uneventful…up to this moment, at least, although the client claims that the rabid fan girl who has been stalking him is of the most determined and devious kind. I _do_ feel sorry for him; I know how it feels to be stalked by crazy females, but to categorize this as an A rank mission…this guy really _is_ paranoid.

But it's his money…

Now back to more pleasant subjects.

Have you been a good boy while I've been gone? Have you been pining away for me? A month apart from me may be a little too much to ask of you, but trust me, you'll be _very_ handsomely rewarded when I come home to you.

Till then, please look forward to my return.

Uchiha Sasuke.

P.s: Tell Hyuuga and Nara that they are NOT ALLOWED to give you any coffee!

* * *

19th December. 

Usuratonkachi,

The rabid fan girl of the client broke into his hotel room last night while I was out for a cup of sake and kidnapped him. Since it is _Partially _(only _Partially!_) my fault, I suppose I should go find him and rescue him before she inflicts any serious physical and mental damage on him.

U.S.

* * *

20th December. 

Dear Usuratonkachi,

I've found them.

I must have underestimated my own charms, because as soon as the rabid fan girl of the client saw me, she tossed the client aside like he was yesterday's newspaper and started to profess her undying love for me. And then she whipped out the newest edition of Jiraiya-sama's Icha Icha Paradise (which I'm sure even _Kakashi-sensei_ hasn't gotten his hands on yet) and begged me to try out some moves in it with her.

I was very amused to find the client looking very _un_amused at this point and yelling that I had stolen his fan girl from him.

I reminded him that getting his fan girl off his back was what this whole mission was all about, and shouldn't he be happy? He just scowled and dragged the silly girl back into her hotel room by the hair, telling me to screw the mission.

To conclude matters, I have completed a one-month mission in a record breaking three days and will be heading for home right after I post this letter. You will probably receive this mere minutes before my own arrival.

Needless to say, I am very excited at the prospect of seeing you again.

Uchiha Sasuke.

P.s: Those moves from Jiraiya-sama's book looked _really_ interesting…

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
The only thing I can think of to describe this is : Strange. ****Definately not my best piece of work.**

**Oh, and forgive me if the formatting looks weird. I can't help it, sorry.**


	22. Heir

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Drabble #21: Heir  
****If it means not being with you…**

Haruno Sakura and Yamanaka Ino were fighting.

Again.

Over a boy, no less.

Over a baby boy named Hyuuga Hizashi, to be exact.

"Let go, Ino-pig! Hizashi-chan likes me better!"

"Yeah right, stupid forehead! _You_ let go!"

"Don't call me stupid, stupid!"

"How about ugly?"

Hyuuga Neji's eye twitched as he watched his newborn son being manhandled by the two overenthusiastic Chuunin. Hinata chuckled at her friends' antics from the hospital bed, and her husband glanced fondly at her. Shikamaru muttered something about women behind them.

"Forehead!"

"Pig!"

"Alright, that's enough." Neji intervened before any serious injuries could be inflicted (because despite their ditzy and childish behavior, Sakura and Ino were still highly skilled Chuunin), and plucked his son out of their clutches.

The whole room laughed at the two girls' crestfallen expressions.

"I think Naruto-kun should hold Hizashi-kun," Hinata smiled. Naruto, who was standing beside Neji admiring the little boy, was given no time to protest before Neji placed Hizashi carefully into his arms.

The blonde held Hizashi awkwardly, as if he were holding a basket of eggs, and smiled painfully.

"You know what? I don't think I'm the best guy for the job…" he muttered, as Hizashi opened his white, pupiless eyes and stared at his parents' childhood friend balefully.

"You're doing a great job…for a male, that is," Sakura said encouragingly. She didn't care who got to hold Hizashi as long as it wasn't her best friend and rival. Apparently, Ino echoed the sentiment.

"He's glaring at me." Naruto informed them nervously, afraid that he had upset the little guy.

"I would think that he's not so much as glaring at you than at your hideous orange jacket," Sasuke drawled out from his place against the wall along with a bored looking Shikamaru, Shino (Neji had banned him from getting too close to Hizashi in fear that the Aburame's insects would decide to make a nest out of his son. Shino had complied without much protest, understanding that it was hard not to worry about one's offspring), Chouji, and Kiba (Neji had banned him from getting too close to Hizashi in fear that Akamaru would maul his son to death. Kiba had yelled the whole hospital down at the unfairness, that Akamaru would _never_, but Neji had been adamant and Kiba was now sulking by the sidelines).

"Hey!"

They laughed at Naruto's indignity.

"Actually, Naruto-kun, I think that Hizashi-chan likes you," Tenten smiled, cooing at her teammate's son.

Naruto looked skeptical. "Then why is he _still_ glaring at me?"

"Neji glares at you all the time. Does that mean he dislikes you?" Lee asked, wiping his tears of joy, and earning a dirty look from his teammate for bringing him into the discussion. "I have a theory that the more the both of them glares, the more they like the person they're glaring at."

Everyone in the room sweatdropped at his logic, but had to concede that it did make sense. A little.

"Hizashi-kun cries if he doesn't like the person holding him," Hinata offered softly.

Naruto rocked the baby tentatively, experimentally, and was astonished when Hizashi gurgled appreciatively at him.

"You're cut out to be a mother, Naruto," Kiba joked, scratching the back of Akamaru's ear.

Everyone laughed again, including Naruto, but the blonde's laughter was rueful and a little strained.

- - -

"What's bothering you?" Sasuke asked as the both of them trudged back home later in the harsh, cold wind. It was December, after all, and although Konoha had not seen snow in ages, it was still the winter.

Naruto looked up in surprise. He had not thought that Sasuke had noticed the slight change in his demeanor in the hospital. But then again Sasuke knew him so well it was hard for Naruto to hide _anything_ from the dark haired boy.

"Do you…"Naruto started quietly, looking at the ground, "Do you regret falling in love with me?"

Sasuke stopped dead in his tracks and stared at Naruto incredulously as if the smaller boy had grown horns.

"What?"

"I can't give you an heir."

They stood in silence, Sasuke staring at Naruto, Naruto staring at their feet, and the bone chilling wind howled all around them. The blonde shivered; he had forgotten to wear his scarf in their haste to get to the hospital earlier.

Sasuke sighed. Taking his own scarf off, he wound them around Naruto's neck. "You stupid moron," was all he said. Grabbing Naruto by the chin, he pulled the younger boy into a heart stopping, knee-weakening, heady kiss.

"That doesn't matter to me anymore," Sasuke said, pulling away from the kiss.

"But reviving your clan was one of your goals in life, remember?" Naruto asked, swaying on his feet, still feeling a little dizzy.

"Made when I was a child. My priorities have changed over the years, usuratonkachi. If it means not being with you…" Sasuke shrugged nonchalantly. "I'd choose you over my clan any day."

Naruto sniffed and blinked the moisture away from his eyes.

"Thank you, bastard." He grinned through his tears and kissed the taller boy again.

And it started to snow for the first time in a long time in Konoha.

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
A sort of Christmas gift to all my wonderful readers! Merry Christmas! Hope Santa gives you what you want! XD**

**To those whom I couldn't e-mail (because they didn't sign in) ... THANK YOU! **

**And to answer _Celeste _and _Tenshi213's _questions, 'Akatsuki' can mean both "Dawn" and "Red Moon"... go check it out for yourself in _leafninja (dot) com_ under the Akatsuki section. And Uchiha Sasuke of _Naruto _and Ishida Uryuu of** **_BLEACH_ share the same seiyuu - Sugiyama Noriaki. **


	23. Promise

**Standard disclaimers apply.**

**Drabble #22: Promise**  
**To each his own…**

Sasuke had never understood the concept of promises.

A promise was something fragile and pathetic – to be broken carelessly by a mere whim without a second thought.

Only the weak believed in promises.

Itachi had been good at making promises. Unfortunately, he had been as good at breaking them.

"_Maybe some other time, Sasuke."  
_'Some other time' never came.

"_I'll help you with your training when I return from this mission, Sasuke."  
_When Itachi returned, he accepted another mission and left straight away.

"_Father will realize your potential one day, Sasuke."  
_Father never did.

To Sasuke, promises meant nothing.

- - -

Naruto had always believed in the power of promises.

A promise was something to keep him going when all hope seemed to be lost, when he was at his lowest.

Promises were meant to be kept.

He had never had anyone there for him as a child, no one to promise him love and care. So he made himself promises.

"_I'll never give up."  
_And he never did, no matter how cold the glares of the villagers were, no matter what nasty names the other children called him behind his back.

"_I'll become stronger."  
_He trained from dawn to dusk to improve his skills. Now he was one of the best shinobis in Konoha.

"_One day, I'll be Hokage!"  
_Although he didn't know it, Tsunade had never thought of anyone other than him as her heir. One day, he is going to be the Rokudaime of his beloved village.

To Naruto, his world revolved around promises.

- - -

Naruto thinks now that they're together, he will be able to teach Sasuke how important promises are.

- - -

Sasuke thinks now that they're together, promises might mean something to him after all.

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
Written to kill time. Completed in 15 minutes...lol.**


	24. New Year

**Standard disclaimers apply.**

**Drabble #23: New Year**  
**Prayers and wishes.**

Sasuke tugged at his new kimono uncomfortably. The dark fabric was heavy and cumbersome, not to mention it made him feel as if he was getting roasted under the numerous folds. He hadn't worn anything so fine since he was a child. It would only have gotten in the way of his training. If it weren't for the golden haired boy at his side, he would never have even thought to buy this expensive traditional robe.

Naruto bounced along beside him, chattering away gaily, a bright smile on his face, looking for all the world as if he was nine instead of nineteen. The shorter boy did not seem to find his light blue kimono a nuisance, swinging his limbs carelessly and skipping to keep up with Sasuke's longer strides.

Sasuke eyed Naruto appreciatively. The kimono made Naruto look more like a girl than ever, and the color matched the boy's fathomless blue eyes.

It would be so much _fun_ to peel the layers off his lover later…

They made their way down the crowded streets, bumping into people in the process. Naruto latched onto Sasuke's arm in order not to be separated from him. If any other person had dared to do the same, Sasuke would probably have sent him a death glare and a katon, but the Uchiha endured it from Naruto with no more than a sigh and a half-hearted roll of his eyes.

The shrine was even more crowded than the streets. The villagers mingled about, some paying their respects to the gods, some getting their fortunes told, others writing New Year's wishes on pieces of paper attached to mandarin oranges by strings and tossing them up into a wising tree in the shrine's courtyard.

The higher you could get your wish up the tree, the more chance of it coming true, Sasuke explained to Naruto.

The two boys made their New Year prayers and then Naruto got Sasuke to pay for him to make a wish at the wishing tree. The blonde threw in his biggest, squishiest, most uke-ish eyes for good measure, and Sasuke ended up buying him dango as well.

After that, they (Naruto excitedly and enthusiastically, Sasuke apathetically and boredly) spent their entire afternoon visiting friends. The evening was reserved for dinner with their childhood friends and former instructors.

So it wasn't until they were back in their own home, their own room, their own bed, their expensive clothing strewn haphazardly on the floor, their pants subsiding to more regular breathing, that Sasuke remembered to ask Naruto what he had prayed and wished for at the shrine that morning.

"It wouldn't come true if I told you, bastard," Naruto retorted sleepily. "And it isn't like you really don't know anyway."

Sasuke smirked, curling an arm around his lover's waist and pulling him closer. "But I want to hear you say it out loud, and you made the wish using _my_ money, so I'm entitled."

Naruto stuck his tongue out at the dark haired boy, but relented nevertheless.

"Oh, alright. I wished and prayed that no one would ever come between ramen and me, because I can't live without my wonderful ramen! Happy?"

Sasuke stared at Naruto for a stunned moment.

Then he growled, snatched up his pillow, and proceeded to try smother Naruto with it.

- - -

Up in the highest branch of the wishing tree, the paper containing Naruto's wish fluttered in the night breeze.

"_I wish that Sasuke and I will be together forever and ever!"_

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
Happy New Year!**

**Please bear in mind that I am not Japanese. If there are any mistakes in the culture/tradition I made writing this drabble, let me know, and I'll gladly make the corrections.**

**Now go review! XD**


	25. Mask

**Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me. I am merely a crazy fangirl who loves SasuNaru.**

**Drabble #24: Mask**  
**Hide your face from the world.**

Naruto knew that the prejudice against him because of what was sealed inside him would never really go away. Maybe it would fade a little, but it would always be there, like a dark shadow lurking at the back of his mind.

The people of Konoha had hated him for too long to change their opinion of him.

Still, Naruto had thought, had _hoped_, that the Anbu would be different.

But it was not.

Which was why he was standing in the middle of the Anbu's common room, clutching the mask in his hand so tightly the porcelain was in danger of cracking.

The Anbu members did not jeer at him and throw him dirty looks like the kids did back when he was still in school. No, they were in fact so courteous and friendly to Naruto that the blonde almost wished he _were_ back in school. Because he could see their true feelings in their eyes.

Hostility. Dislike. Hatred.

At least the kids in school were honest about what they felt about him.

It hurt him that even now, they still couldn't accept him as an equal. They were supposed to be the best of Konoha's shinobi – skillful, intelligent, calm, levelheaded. And yet they could not get over the simple fact that Naruto had the Kyuubi locked inside him.

Naruto stared at the new mask his Anbu captain had given him. It was so beautiful, hand made and painted with red and black swirls. But Naruto hated it, hated the way the fanged mouth of the mask looked like it was laughing at him, hated the way the slits that served as eyes on the mask tilted up almost evilly.

"Well, Uzumaki, do you like it?"

Naruto lifted his head. His captain and teammates were smiling at him. Such talented actors…unfortunately, they had not quite mastered hiding the emotions in their eyes.

"I think it suits you very well, Uzumaki."

The hidden meaning in the friendly words was not lost to Naruto. But he smiled. He smiled and nodded happily.

'_I've been wearing a mask longer than any of you have, you bastards_'

"Thank you for helping me choose this mask, taichou. You have really good taste."

'_I don't even need one to hide what I'm feeling anymore._'

And he left them gaping at his retreating back, wondering how their subtle insults had been turned into compliments to the blonde.

- - -

When Sasuke returned home from patrol duties, he found his lover sitting on the living room couch. Naruto still sported his new Anbu uniform and was holding his mask close to his body, staring blankly in front of him.

"Naruto?" the Uchiha called tentatively.

Naruto did not answer, but raised dull blue eyes, looking like he was going to burst into tears any moment.

"What's the matter?" Sasuke demanded, startled. He hurried over to sit beside Naruto on the couch, gently pulling Naruto into his arms. "What's wrong?"

"They hate me," Naruto mumbled into Sasuke's chest, his voice laden with unshed tears.

"Who?" But it was a stupid question, and they both knew it. There were few in Konoha who _didn't_ hate Naruto.

Wordlessly, Naruto held his new porcelain mask up for his lover to see.

A fox.

Sasuke stared at it for a moment.

"I think it suits you very well."

Naruto started at the words, having just heard them coming mockingly from his captain's mouth not an hour before, but Naruto could tell that although Sasuke's tone was offhanded and disinterested – the exact opposite of the way Naruto's captain had said it, he meant every word he had said.

Neither mentioned the fact that _no one_ ever received the fox mask. Not after the Kyuubi incident. To be given a fox mask was the worst insult one could get in the Anbu.

"And does it really matter what mask you get?" Sasuke asked impatiently. "You don't even need one."

His lips latched onto Naruto's neck, making Naruto forget everything except the hot breath against his skin.

"You're already wearing one, usuratonkachi," Sasuke murmured. "And _I'm_ the only one who ever gets to see you unmasked."

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
I've been watching too much Phantom of the Opera and Bleach...both have lots of masks in them. Lol.**

**Now make me happy by leaving a review please?**


	26. Cotton Candy

**Disclaimer: Not mine...sobs.**

**Drabble #25: Cotton Candy**  
**Sasuke is being overprotective.**

"Sasuke! Sasuke! Look! A roller coaster!"

"Hn."

"I want to go on it!"

"No."

"WHY NOT!"

"It's too dangerous. You might fall off."

- - -

"A House of Horrors! I'm going in!"

"No."

"WHY NOT!"

"Usuratonkachi, do you know how many girls get molested in dark, closed places like that?"

"What does that – HEY! I'M NOT A GIRL!"

"Tch. You look like one…"

- - -

"Ponies!"

"No."

"SASUKE!"

"Do you want to be trampled to death, moron?"

- - -

"Cotton Candy!"

"…"

"Dare I presume that your silence means the cotton candy won't be springing to life any minute now to devour me?"

"Hn."

"Bastard. You're paying."

- - -

A few minutes later found Naruto sitting on one of the benches in the amusement park, happily gobbling his pink cotton candy and getting it all over his face. Sasuke shoved his hands into his pocket and watched his lover's tongue darting in and out of his mouth in fascination.

"Sasuke…"

Sasuke dragged his gaze up to look at Naruto's half amused, half disgusted, candy-floss-filled face.

"You know what you sounded like the whole afternoon we've been here?"

"…I'll probably regret asking, but what?"

"A mother."

"…Did not."

"Yes you did! A worried mother."

"Did not."

"Did too!"

"Did not. I'll tell you what I _really_ sounded like."

"Hmm?"

Sasuke leaned forward. Naruto blushed at the sudden closeness of the dark haired boy, and it intensified when Sasuke started to lick the pink candy off his cheek. The warm pair of lips moved up until it found Naruto's earlobe and suckled.

"I sounded like a lover protecting the person he loves…"

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
Very random. Written while listening to Bonnie Pink's Cotton Candy.**

**Any comments?**


	27. Rich

**Standard disclaimers apply.**

**Drabble #26: Rich  
You don't know how hard it was…**

"Sasuke…how rich are you?"

Sasuke glanced up at Naruto, then returned his attention to his book.

"Rich enough to buy you ramen everyday," he replied.

Naruto pouted. He caught hold of the Uchiha's sleeve and yanked, earning himself a glare from his lover.

"Are you rich enough to give me a hundred bucks?"

Elegant eyebrows shot up.

"Usuratonkachi, what in the world are you going to do with all that money?"

A blush spread across the smaller boy's face. "Well…erm…" Then he turned defensive. "Look, bastard, either you'll give me the money or you won't! Stop being a Nosey Parker!"

Sasuke's eyes darkened in displeasure. For one moment, Naruto looked almost sorry he had said what he had said, but the next he was wearing a scowl to match Sasuke's.

"Fine."

Naruto turned to leave, but Sasuke's voice hailed him just when he was reaching for the doorknob.

"Naruto."

The blonde turned and a wad of bills was pressed into his hand. He searched his lover's depthless eyes but could not find even one trace of emotion.

"Do whatever you want with it."

And then Sasuke was gone.

- - -

"So basically you've quarreled with Naruto? Again?"

Sasuke's scowl deepened. He drained his sake and poured himself another cup. Neji shook his head at his fellow Anbu member.

"The both of you seriously need to grow up."

The Uchiha sent him a dirty look (which he ignored). "Not everyone has a compliant wife like Hinata," the younger boy muttered. "I swear your relationship is perfect. No fights, no quarrels…"

Neji smiled.

"Sasuke, what is perfect for us might not be perfect for you. Tell me, can you imagine yourself and Naruto in the kind of relationship Hinata and I have? As you said: no fights, no quarrels?"

Sasuke sighed. "No. Not when he's who he is and I'm who I am."

"Sasuke-kun, Neji-kun."

The two dark haired geniuses turned in unison at the familiar voice of their academy teacher. Umino Iruka smiled at his two former students.

"You do know that it's a little weird finding the both of you in Ichiraku instead of Naruto, right?" the Chuunin teased.

Neji chuckled and Sasuke managed a half smile.

"I saw you in here and I just had to stop to thank you for what you've done, Sasuke-kun." Iruka beamed.

Neji raised an eyebrow at Sasuke. Sasuke blinked at Iruka.

"What?" the Uchiha asked, bewildered.

"Naruto came by the academy just now, to help with the kids and to give me the money. Thank you, Sasuke-kun. It would mean so much to the orphans in the academy to have some new clothes and shoes. The public funds barely cover their daily expenses."

Sasuke's eyes widened.

"Are we talking about the hundred dollars?"

"Of course!" Iruka nodded happily. "It was generous of you!"

Sasuke stood up abruptly, startling his former teacher.

"Where's he now?" he demanded.

It was Iruka's turn to be bewildered. "Naruto? He went home after his visit," Iruka replied.

Sasuke nodded and left, leaving behind a confused Iruka and a smiling Neji.

- - -

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Naruto jumped a mile at his lover's breathless voice. He turned to face the taller boy, pushing his scrolls aside.

"Tell you what?" Naruto asked distractedly. He moved to wipe the sweat off Sasuke's brow. "Geez, bastard, you look like you've just finished a hundred meter sprint."

"Naruto…"

They stared at each other for a moment that seemed like an eternity. The next, Sasuke's kisses were raining down hotly onto his lover's lips, his jaw line, his neck… Naruto's arms wound up around Sasuke's neck, as if hanging on for life. Sasuke paused to peer down at the shorter blonde.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For that silly quarrel we had yesterday. Iruka-sensei told me."

"Oh." Naruto blushed, embarrassed.

"Why didn't you tell me when I asked?"

Naruto laughed sheepishly.

"I was afraid you wouldn't approve."

"Moron." Sasuke rolled his eyes. He stroked Naruto's whiskered cheek gently. "I was once like them too, you know. An orphan with no one to take care of me."

"Yeah right. You were a _rich_ orphan. _I_ was once like them. You don't know how hard it was…"

"No," Sasuke agreed, "I don't. But I'm going to try help them in any way I can from now on."

Naruto smiled and answered him by tiptoeing to resume them kiss.

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
Just a warm up before I start writing the valentine drabble. I hope you like it **


	28. Presents

**Standard disclaimers apply.**

**Drabble #27: Presents**  
**Valentine's Day.**

Hyuuga Neji has never had any experience with women before (except his fangirls, and that was almost enough to make him swear off females altogether), and therefore has no idea what to get Hinata for Valentine's Day.

Nara Shikamaru thinks it too troublesome to go look for a present for Ino, but he does it anyway, muttering about bothersome women while he scours the shops of Konoha.

Rock Lee hopes his beautiful Sakura-san will like the surprise present he's getting her. Because as long as she's happy, he's happy.

Uchiha Sasuke knows exactly what his Naruto will want for Valentine's Day.

- - -

Hyuuga Neji clutches the flowers in his hand tightly, thinking how stupid he looks – like a love struck Romeo, and opens the door to his home.

The first thing that greets him is his wife's gentle voice and beautiful smile and his son's contented gurgle. He returns her smile and hands her the flowers wordlessly. She accepts them with a blush and endearing gratitude.

She apologizes that she doesn't have a present for him. He kisses her and tells her that she and their son are the best gifts he has ever received.

- - -

When Nara Shikamaru tosses his wife his sloppily wrapped present, she smiles but doesn't say anything. She opens it to find the sapphire bracelet she's been eyeing for a while now. She beams but still doesn't say anything.

He yawns and tells her he's going out. She nods and still doesn't say anything.

But she entwines her slender fingers through his and follows him out for his daily session of cloud gazing, something she usually deems a waste of time.

- - -

Rock Lee takes out the diamond engagement ring he has bought, gets down on one knee in the restaurant where they're having a romantic dinner and asks her to marry him. She stares at him, speechless, for one long moment, before squealing happily and launching herself at him.

He's glad she likes her Valentine's Day present. Because as long as she's happy, he's happy.

- - -

Uchiha Sasuke comes home after a mission to find his dobe cooking in the kitchen. The delicious aroma of chocolate fills the air. Sasuke sneaks up to his chocolate covered lover and hugs him from behind.

His lover shows him the chocolate he's made. They're all shaped like hearts, except two that resembles him and his lover.

They're Sasuke's Valentine's Day present, his lover explains proudly.

Sasuke licks some chocolate off the smaller boy's whiskered face and tells him he has something for his lover too. He pulls his lover towards the bedroom, and the blonde accuses Sasuke of having a one-track mind.

Sasuke smirks, but doesn't deny the accusation. His lover rolls his eyes good-humouredly and laughs.

It's not like he won't enjoy his present after all, so he doesn't complain too much.

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
The long-awaited Valentine's Day drabble! ****I'm posting this earlier because I'll be busy next week. **

**By the way, the wonderful _Rubber Ducker_ is currently drawing a doujinshi out of this fic! XD She's done the first two pages of the first drabble : Coffee, and it's been great so far! Go check it out and give her some comments... It's posted in DA under the name _chiiyako._**

**Now go REVIEW or something bad will happen to you (creepy Orochimaru laugh)...**


	29. Bedtime Story

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

**Drabble #28: Bedtime Story**  
**Happily ever after.**

"Once upon a time, there lived a little fox kit named Naruto.

Naruto was a very cute little fox kit with golden fur, big blue eyes, and a mischievous personality. He was always smiling and laughing and playing pranks on the other animals in the forest.

However, most of the animals in the forest hated Naruto because he was the descendant of an evil fox named Kyuubi, who had killed and eaten many of the animals in the forest. But Naruto didn't blame them for their unjust anger towards him. He even wanted to grow up to be strong so that he could protect them.

One day, a wolf cub named Sasuke came to live in Naruto's part of the forest. Sasuke's clan had just been killed by his psychotic brother Itachi, and Sasuke wanted to take revenge on him. Sasuke vowed that he would grow stronger so that he would be able to kill Itachi.

It was love at first sight for Sasuke when he met the cute little Naruto. Naruto also fell in love with Sasuke after Sasuke protected him from some of the animals who tried to harm Naruto. Sasuke eventually became strong and killed Itachi and Naruto finally earned the respect of the other animals.

They got married and had ten cubs – five boys who looked like their daddy Sasuke and five girls who looked like their mummy Naruto.

And they lived happily ever after.

The end."

"…" Said Uzumaki Naruto, sweatdropping.

"…" Said Hyuuga Hizashi, frowning.

"What?" Uchiha Sasuke raised a jet-black brow. "You wanted me to tell him a bedtime story."

The doorbell rang just then and Sasuke got up from the couch to get the door. It was Hizashi's parents.

"Thank you for helping us baby-sit Hizashi-kun, Sasuke-kun, Naruto-kun," Hyuuga Hinata smiled sweetly as Naruto handed her son to her. "Chichi-Ue and Hanabi were busy, and since Hizashi-kun seemed to like Naruto-kun so much… I hope we haven't inconvenienced you…"

Naruto grinned. "Nah, the little guy was an angel. I enjoyed looking after him." Sasuke gave a soft _Hn_.

Hyuuga Neji nodded his thanks to his fellow Anbu members, and the white eyed family left.

Naruto waved until they were out of sight, then turned to his lover.

"Ten cubs? Five girls who looked like their mummy Naruto? What the hell was that?" he asked, puffing his cheeks out and looking like a blowfish.

"Wouldn't you like our daughters to look like you, Naru-chan?" Sasuke asked in a deadpan way.

Naruto snorted. "Like it's even possible for us to have daughters?"

Sasuke seemed to ponder about it for a moment, then a slow smile spread across his handsome features.

"That's what miracles are for, you know. How about we start trying right now?"

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
School has been exhausting. Kei seriously has no life... T.T**


	30. Poker

**Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.**

**Drabble #29: Poker**  
**The terms of the bet.**

Naruto stared, fascinated, as Sasuke shuffled the deck of cards like a professional card dealer. Sasuke shifted into a more comfortable position against the headboard of the bed.

"Ready?" the Uchiha asked.

Naruto nodded, not taking his eyes off the cards. If he had, he would have seen the dangerous glint in his lover's eyes…

- - -

"Ha! A Straight!" Naruto crowed triumphantly. "Let's see you beat _this_, bastard!"

Sasuke laid his hand down onto the mattress of their bed.

"A Royal Flush."

Naruto's blue eyes widened in disbelief. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times wordlessly.

Sasuke smirked. "I win, Naruto."

"NOOOOOOO! Why do you always win!" Naruto yanked at his hair in frustration. Sasuke calmly reached over and caught his lover's hands before the blonde succeeded in turning himself bald.

"Naruto…"

"WHAT!"

"You haven't forgotten the terms of the bet, have you?"

"…"

- - -

Kiba's jaw went slack. Chouji choked on his third bowl of ramen. Lee shook his head, as if to clear his vision. Shikamaru covered his eyes with his hand sighed in a "You're-so-troublesome" way. Neji blinked hard. Shino's eyebrows rose an inch.

Naruto glared at his friends and sat down in his usual spot in the Ichiraku. Sasuke couldn't wipe the grin off his face as he took the seat next to his lover, his lazy gaze sweeping over Naruto's slender, milky thighs that had been exposed when the short, pleated skirt of the sailor Fuku Naruto was wearing was hiked up.

"Er…Naruto? Why are you wearing a girl's high school uniform?" Kiba asked dazedly.

Naruto glared harder.

"The dobe lost to me in poker," the dark haired boy beside him replied for him, since Naruto did not seem inclined to provide the answer. "The winner gets to ask anything form the loser."

"Oh…" Kiba said. "And you-"

"Shut up, Kiba," Naruto hissed. "Just shut up."

- - -

They watched Sasuke and a still fuming Naruto disappear into the distance, heading for home. Kiba turned to the rest of the gang once they were out of sight.

"_Now_ we know why Uchiha was so interested when I was teaching you guys how to cheat at poker… You reckon we should tell Naruto 'bout it?"

All he got were scornful snorts in return.

"Right. Stupid question."

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
Poor Naruto, for having a kinky bastard like Sasuke for a boyfriend. XD XD XD**

**I was originally going to make them play strip poker, but my muse made me write this instead. Hopefully I got it right, because I don't gamble much...**

**Now go review and make me happy!**


	31. Annoying

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

**Drabble #30: Annoying**  
**What Sasuke finds most annoying.**

A lot of things annoyed Uchiha Sasuke.

People who were late annoyed him.

His fan girls' squealing and gushing annoyed him.

The Godaime giving him missions-from-hell just because she liked to see him suffer (the sadist!) annoyed him.

Cowards who begged for their lives before he killed them annoyed him.

Subordinates who questioned his judgment (and sanity) annoyed him (and was usually glared into submission).

Kakashi reading that damn perverted book while talking to him annoyed him.

Being sick and unable to train or go on missions annoyed him.

Neji acting holier-than-thou annoyed him.

Hizashi throwing up his milk on him annoyed him.

Any mention of snakes and weasels annoyed him.

Bloodstains that could not be washed away annoyed him.

The Kazekage annoyed him.

The villagers' blind adoration just because he was the last Uchiha annoyed him.

The way the villagers treated Naruto annoyed him.

Sai's perpetually smiling face annoyed him.

The close bond between Sai and Naruto annoyed him.

Sakura teasing him about being _whipped _annoyed him.

People who told him that he was _pretty _annoyed him (because Naruto was so much prettier).

Having to eat ramen three days in a row (or sleep on the couch) annoyed him.

Orange jumpers annoyed him.

A certain person who always left his house in a mess annoyed him.

Loudness annoyed him.

Naruto's dog annoyed him.

_Naruto _annoyed him.

But the fact that he was growing to love Naruto more and more each passing moment, despite how annoying the boy was, annoyed Uchiha Sasuke the most.

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
Yes, darlings, I'm not dead yet! Only half dead... XD**

**I'm sorry I took so long to write this one. But I do have a perfectly good excuse: exams!**

**Anyway, hope you like this one and please tell me what you think of it.**


	32. Ramen

**Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, Sasuke wouldn't be wearing that horrible outfit.**

**Drabble #31: Ramen**  
**Sasuke is jealous.**

"What do you mean, we're not having ramen for dinner? Of course we're having ramen for dinner!"

"Naruto…we've been having ramen four meals in a row." Sasuke sighed. "Don't you think that it's time for a change?"

Naruto pondered about it and Sasuke entertained the glimmer of hope that they'd be eating proper food instead of the _rubbish_ Naruto was so fond of.

"No," Naruto answered after a minute. "Ramen's fine."

Sasuke rolled his eyes heavenward and sighed again.

- - -

Naruto padded down the stairs after his shower, drying his hair with a towel.

Sasuke had insisted that Naruto relax for once and let him undertake the grueling task of cooking their dinner. Never mind that ramen only took three minutes to prepare.

As the little blonde boy headed for the kitchen, he heard voices and immediately tensed up. An intruder? An enemy? Itachi? No. Sasuke would have blown up half the house with his Chidori by now if that were the case.

He creeped closer, carefully suppressing his chakra.

"…Naru…taking…away…"

_Huh?_ Naruto blinked. _What? _He inched forward.

"Don't…he's… ruto is _mine_!" Naruto could tell that it was Sasuke speaking. But who was he talking to?

"If you do, I'll Katon you into ashes!"

Naruto flattened himself against the wall and peeked into the kitchen. All he could see was his lover, sitting at the table with two steaming cups of ramen. Sasuke's dark bangs were covering his equally dark eyes, which were currently boring holes into the innocent noodles on the table.

Naruto gawked. Sasuke was…?

He fought down the urge to laugh and marched into the kitchen. Sasuke started and rose to his feet a little guiltily, but was given no time to say anything before Naruto grabbed him by the collar and yanked him down into a searing kiss.

"What was that for?" Sasuke asked, looking confused, but not necessarily displeased with the shorter boy in his arms.

Naruto grinned. "For being jealous of ramen."

Sasuke's eyes widened marginally and he opened his mouth to protest, but Naruto pulled him down for a second kiss, and he never did remember to deny the statement.

* * *

**Owari**

**Author's Notes:  
Erm, comments? (sheepish laugh)**


	33. Please

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters.**

**Drabble #32: Please  
****Naruto asks for something.**

Sasuke sat on the couch one evening after dinner, studying and trying to commit the details of his next mission into his memory. This particular mission was very difficult to handle (due to the fact that the client was _obsessed_ about details), but if there was anything Sasuke liked, it was a challenge.

Naruto was seated next to him, fidgeting and letting out sighs every now and then.

The room was so quiet, except for Naruto's occasional sighs, that the ticking of the clock on the wall could be heard.

"Hey, Sasuke," the blonde broke the silence suddenly and elbowed Sasuke's ribs just when Sasuke had gotten to the most important part of the instructions. The dark haired Anbu grunted in annoyance, but didn't look up.

Hopefully Naruto would just give up and go away if he ignored the annoying boy.

Another jab in the ribs caused him to grit his teeth. "What!" he snapped, still studiously avoiding looking up.

"Can I ask you a question, Sasuke?"

Sasuke sighed and nodded, finally looking up from the scroll. "Only one, Naruto. I really need to get the details right for tomorrow's mission."

"Okay."

There was a pause.

"Can you smile for me… Please?"

Sasuke's annoyance melted into confusion. The scroll he had been holding slipped from his grasp and fell to the floor with a thud, unnoticed by either shinobi.

"Naruto?" He stared into the pools of earnest blue.

"Please? For me?" Naruto's fingers moved to smooth the creased lines on Sasuke's frowning forehead. "You haven't smiled the whole day."

Sasuke's expression softened and he allowed his lips to stretch into a tiny smile. It came surprisingly easily and naturally to him, in response to Naruto's adorableness. He pulled the smaller boy closer and the smile turned into a smirk.

"There," he murmured. "Satisfied?"

Naruto answered with a silly grin of his own and Sasuke was promptly rewarded by a kiss that made him forget about missions, details, fussy clients or anything else except the blonde in his arms.

* * *

**Owari. **

Author's Note:  
I'm quite happy with the way this drabble turned out, although it is a bit too short, isn't it? XP

Comments and suggestions on what you would like me to write next are welcomed! I'll try my best!

Flames will be...ignored? lol (I hate flames) I'm in the opinion that if you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything...


	34. Waffles

**Drabble: Naruto does not belong to me. He belongs to Sasuke.**

**Drabble #33: Waffles  
****Sasuke is being a bastard.**

Sasuke rolled his tired shoulders in hopes that it would ease the ache. It had been a long day, and he was exhausted. At least he was home now. The mere thought of the person waiting for him there improved his black temper slightly.

Quietly, he entered his ancestral home and closed the door. The house was silent except for the faint noises coming from the vicinity of the kitchen. Praying that Naruto wasn't making ramen _again_, Sasuke headed to where his lover was.

He leaned against the doorway and feasted his eyes on the sunny haired boy. _A sight for sore eyes indeed…_ Naruto alternated between muttering to himself and humming under his breath as he worked, oblivious that he was being watched. Sasuke was so immersed in watching the beautiful boy that he only realized what said boy was making until the sweet scent of pastry reached his nostrils.

His dark eyes widened at the memories that were awakened by the smell. He shoved himself off the doorway.

"You're making…waffles?"

Naruto started and turned. He grinned at the sight of his lover, and was about to welcome him home when he saw the expression on the Uchiha's face. The grin faltered.

"Uh…I asked Hinata to teach me how to make them… You want some?" Naruto asked, holding out a plate of freshly made waffles, offering it to Sasuke. A spasm of anger flitted across the dark haired boy's handsome face.

"Sasuke? What's wro-"

With a flick of his wrist, Sasuke sent the plate and its contents flying towards the wall.

"I hate waffles!" he snarled at a wide-eyed Naruto, unconsciously activating his sharingan.

Naruto opened and closed his mouth several times. Sasuke's eyes returned to their normal state as he calmed down, but to his dismay, tears were welling up in his lover's hurt filled blue eyes. Naruto refused to let them fall though – he had his pride to uphold too. Wordlessly, lower lip trembling, he moved to clean up the mess the taller shinobi had made.

Sasuke watched his lover's small form bent over the waffles, shaking from trying not to cry, and felt every bit the bastard they called him.

Naruto was startled for the second time of the day when a pair of strong arms encircled him from behind. He tried to shrug them off, but Sasuke held tight.

"I'm sorry…. I'm so sorry."

Naruto thought that it was ironic how Sasuke's kindness, and not his harsh words, was what held the power to make him cry. He turned and buried his face against his lover's chest, sniffling.

"You bastard…" he whispered in a wobbly tone, feeling Sasuke plant kisses in his hair and hands rubbing his back soothingly.

"Itachi used to make them for me." Naruto looked up. Sasuke was smiling grimly. "He made me some every morning if he wasn't on missions."

Naruto's small hands cupped Sasuke's face, giving him his silent comfort.

"It just reminded me of him. I'm sorry…" Sasuke took Naruto's fingers and kissed them apologetically. "It's been a hard day, and I'm not in the best of moods."

They stayed that way for a while longer – both kneeling on the cold kitchen floor, Sasuke holding Naruto against him tightly. Naruto's sniffles subsided, and Sasuke pulled him to his feet gently.

"I think…I'd like to try some of your waffles," he said haltingly. "I'm quite hungry, actually."

Naruto's fair brows rose. "You hate waffles."

Sasuke shrugged and kissed the shorter boy's forehead.

"I could learn to like yours, Naruto."

**

* * *

Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
Written in response to _Shadowcat0070'_s request that I write another 'lover's tiff' drabble and _Gemini sohma-chan_'s 'waffle' request. **

**Hope you all liked this!**


	35. Necrophobia

**Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.**

**Drabble #34: Necrophobia**  
**Sasuke's greatest fear.**

Sasuke never used to fear death.

Even as a child, before Itachi had killed his entire clan, Sasuke had witnessed many of his relatives' funerals. The Uchiha clan was a large one, after all, and most of its clansmen were shinobis. That some of them would die during missions were inevitable.

By the time he was four years old, Sasuke could look at the mangled bodies – could stare death in the face - without so much as flinching.

The fact that Itachi destroyed their clan - killed every single member of their family - did not make Sasuke fear death either. Yes, he had been terrified that night, but not of something as inconsequential as death.

The thing that had frightened him so badly that night was Itachi. The _monster_ he had become. His brother had always been Sasuke's idol, his inspiration, his _everything_. That night, Sasuke's world toppled over down on him, bringing despair, hurt, anger.

Death was nothing compared to the terrible feeling of being betrayed by someone you trusted.

- - -

Then Uzumaki Naruto came into his life, and along with the bubbly blonde came something Sasuke had never experienced before: the fear of _Death._

Sasuke found himself fearing Death for the first time in his life, but not for himself. He watched Naruto put himself in various life-threatening situations, and every time that happened, Sasuke found himself protecting the smaller boy.

Sasuke began to understand what the fear of Death meant.

It was that fear which prevented Sasuke from killing Naruto at the Valley of the End. He could have done it so easily - just plunge his kunai through Naruto's heart and leave him to bleed to death, what with Naruto unconscious, lying so quietly in the pouring rain.

_As if he were already dead._

Sasuke had stared at Naruto's face, a million emotions surging through him, and the fear that had plagued him for months now resurfaced with a vengeance.

He didn't want to kill Naruto. He _couldn't_.

He had fled, disgusted with himself.

For the next three years, he learnt more about Life and Death as Orochimaru's prodigy. The fear of Death still lingered at the back of his mind, even as he killed countless people to further the greedy ambitions of his master.

Sasuke hated every moment he spent with the Snake Sannin. He had felt nothing but relief the day Orochimaru died – killed by shinobi of the Leaf, and he had gained his freedom once again. The burning urge he had felt as a child to avenge his clan had all but disappeared.

All he wanted to do was to return home. To Naruto.

It had been five years since that day at the Valley of the End, and Sasuke had not gotten rid of his fear. In fact, it had worsened now that he was back at Naruto's side, where he belonged.

If Sasuke had learnt anything at all for the past few years, since he had gotten to know Naruto, Death meant nothing when you were alone. It meant nothing when you cared for no one. Death only mattered when you've found someone you loved, someone you wanted to protect, someone you wanted to be with forever.

_Your most precious person._

Death had the ultimate power to take Naruto away from him, and _that_ was what Sasuke feared the most.

* * *

**Owari.**

**Author's Notes:  
This is the last of the drabbles, because I'm exhausted and half dead... **

**Thanks to everyone who has read this far! This last drabble is dedicated to you!**


End file.
